Quijano: Lennox Lewis vs. David Tua Dejavu

ALMOST 18 years ago, there was a much ballyhooed heavyweight clash between a tall, hulking British champion against a shorter, aggressive puncher who also happened to hail from Auckland, New Zealand.

The result of that fight was anti-climactic as the wild speculations of a possible upset were bashed by the harsh realities of strategic combat fighting as it became a bore-fest with the British champ jabbing his way to a safe and uneventful unanimous decision win.

If you know your boxing, then you would have guessed by now that I am referring to the championship fight between Lennox Lewis and David Tua back in November 11, 2000.

In that fight, Lewis fought safely behind a jab and a straight right hand and never really allowed Tua to get in close and do some damage.

2018. Fast forward to last Sunday’s iteration of the same match-up with Anthony Joshua defeating Joseph Parker via unanimous decision in another snooze-fest.

Joshua is easily today’s Lennox Lewis. Wildly popular in the U.K., he is on the cusp of being the next big thing in heavyweight boxing, that is if he isn’t already.

By annexing Parker’s WBO crown he now owns all the titles except the WBC diadem proudly worn by American Deontay Wilder.

Similarly, Parker could be today’s David Tua in terms of New Zealand’s presence and participation in the heavyweight scene. Tua never won a world title, but he did win several regional belts, and since his retirement there was never any significant fighter to come out of New Zealand until Parker came along and won the WBO title in 2017.

SCORES. I remember Lewis stating post-fight that you can’t become a heavyweight champion if you show up with only a haircut and a left hook, or words to that effect. He was referring to Tua who came into the fight with a spiky hairdo and his vaunted but sadly lone weapon- the left hook.

Joshua also fought a calculated, prudent fight. Parker is known for his hand speed and punching combinations, and Joshua pretty much disarmed his opponent by fighting cautiously and never really allowing the New Zealander to get into any kind of punching rhythm.

Unbelievably, even the scores for both fights were eerily similar. For Tua-Lewis they were 118-110, 117-111 and 119-109. For Joshua-Parker they were 118-110 twice and 119-109.

But the most important score in the fight would be the one given to Joshua’s performance.

This was the first time that an opponent had gone the distance against him and to a certain degree, fights like these are what he needs in order to get the rounds in and test his stamina.

On the other hand, he appeared tentative and unsure at times- two things he can’t afford to be if he were to face the wild and unpredictable Wilder in a super-fight possibly later this year.

LAST ROUND. It’s on a dear friend, Nini Gonzales-Gaite who celebrates her birthday today. Cheers!

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