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Word up Tua talking like a champ even before the fight
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- The world won't know until Nov. 11 whether David Tua can fight like a heavyweight champion. If nothing else, though, he's already learned to talk like one. Nine days before he meets Lennox Lewis for the heavyweight title, Tua sounded Thursday like he has been reading the releases of his prolific publicity machine. "The Tuaman has prepared himself mentally and physically for this fight," Tua said. Tua constantly referred to himself in the third person while discussing the fight, a trait shared by a number of champions before him. "There's no secret about David Tua's style. It's not hard to look for David Tua," Tua said. "David Tua is going to be right there in front of you." In between David Tua talking about David Tua, the Samoan native also talked a bit about Lewis, who will defend the WBC and IBF versions of the title in the scheduled 12-round fight at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino. He didn't seem particularly awed about the prospects of facing a champion who has stopped his last two challengers in the second round and appears to be in his prime. "I'm not Frans Botha and I'm not Michael Grant," Tua said, referring to Lewis' last two opponents. "I'm not going to be mentally devastated by what Lennox Lewis brings into the fight." Tua, the No. 1-ranked challenger, has been training the last two months at a ranch outside Las Vegas for Lewis, who held the undisputed title before a judge stripped him of the WBA crown. Tua fights much in the style of Mike Tyson and is built much like the former champion. He acknowledged he is not likely to win a decision against Lewis, and must knock him out. "David Tua is not a boxer, not a fighter who wins on points," he said. "In the minds of the judges, the only way for David Tua to win this fight is to knock Lennox Lewis out." Tua, who stands 5-foot-11 but has hair that adds another five inches or so to his stature, said he will weigh about 240 for Lewis, who at 6-foot-5 will tower over the challenger. That means Tua must fight inside, and his camp expressed hope that referee Joe Cortez will not allow Lewis to tie Tua up inside and hold him. "Holding is against the rules and regulations, end of story," promoter Dan Goossen said. "We feel confident Joe Cortez will do the right thing if and when Lennox Lewis starts to hold."
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