David Tua Set for Induction into the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame in 2023

The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame (ACBHOF) has announced its latest class of inductees for the coming year. Samoan-New Zealand heavyweight ace David Tua is one of them. Tua, now aged 50, competed at the highest level of professional boxing for more than 20 years between 1992 and 2013. Tua boxed no fewer than 14 times in Atlantic City throughout his career, with his biggest win coming against former world champ Michael Moorer in August 2002.

After being notified of his induction into the ACBHOF this year, Tua said that Atlantic City was “where [he] started [his] humble boxing career”. Tua said that the New Jersey city would “always have a place in [his] heart”. ABCHOF president, Ray McCline, said that Tua and the rest of this year’s inductees helped to cement Atlantic City as a “boxing Mecca known around the world”.

Tua came on the boxing scene fast, aged 19, and was a big hit among New Zealanders. After securing an Olympic bronze medal at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, he appeared on New Zealand’s national television as a celebrity contestant in the Kiwi version of the Wheel of Fortune gameshow. During the show, he was mocked for his alleged questionable spelling.

It was a clever way of getting – and staying – in the media spotlight. This show has been a part of popular culture for decades and has characterized elements of pop culture even in the present day. Its wheel-based gameshow concept has since been mirrored in the iGaming industry by Evolution, with its Crazy Time live dealer game proving a global hit. According to the Crazy Time strategy guide, it bagged the award for Innovation in Casino Entertainment at the 2020 SBC Awards – although there are no signs of David Tua hosting a game just yet!

David Tua’s most notable fights throughout his career

The fight that captured the imagination of boxing fans surrounding David Tua came in 1997 against Ike Ibeabuchi. Although Tua would suffer his first loss in professional boxing, he would make a world record as part of the heavyweight fight with the most punches thrown on record. Tua’s left hook was a fearsome prospect. A year after his defeat to Ibeabuchi, Tua was ranked third in the world’s top heavyweight boxers by BoxRec.

Undoubtedly Tua’s biggest test came in 2000 as he challenged for the crown of undisputed world heavyweight champion. Tua locked horns with Lennox Lewis in a battle dubbed “Royal Rampage”. Staged in Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Tua and Lewis had identical records of 37 wins and only one loss. In his biggest fight, Tua seemed somewhat subdued and was outpunched by Lewis most of the fight. In fact, Tua would land only 110 of his 413 punches thrown. It was no surprise that Lewis would get the unanimous decision when it went to the judges.

Tua embarked on a string of comebacks, winning in March 2005 over Talmadge Griffis. In October 2009, Tua returned again from a lengthy two-year lay-off to land the WBO Asia Pacific and Oriental Heavyweight titles, defeating Shane Cameron in Hamilton.After another two-year break between 2011 and 2013, Tua made one final return in June 2013 against Belarusian Alexander Ustinov. Ustinov proved too much for Tua, who promptly announced his retirement from the sport. The “Tuamanator” will forever be known as one of the best heavyweights never to win a world title.