Sports UFC / MMA

Tua's career was derailed with not being able to fight for an extended period due to the court case with Barry & Pugh.

Barry managed him to 2003. He fought Rahman in 2003 and then had 2 years without a fight. If you look at the quality of his opponents after the Lewis fight to the Rahman fight he was on the comeback trail. He could have got to another title shot. Then two years out and he has to start again.

Barry & Pugh may have started off with good intentions in getting everything set up as a business but it tied them to Tua. Sure Barry only trained Tua for a few fights but he was tied to him as a manager. A fighter should be free to choose to move on from a trainer or manager. The fact they needed a court case to sort out the assets and break the contract shows how tied up they were with Tua. That and also knowing the guy that was earning the money was wanting out.

Look at pictures of Barry before he met Tua. Thinning hair and an 80's moustache. No hair transplants. I remember seeing him driving through Ponsonby in a Mercedes. Even then I was thinking he's doing alright off Tua.

That two years off was a real set back. He was on the comeback trail but also the inactivity for a guy that would need to work on his conditioning.
Reading this is a real eye opener.
I knew there was court cases and stuff but never knew the details.


Hopefully tuaman is doing well these days. I know he has his gym in onehunga. Still remember watching his fights with my family as a kid.
 
Reading this is a real eye opener.
I knew there was court cases and stuff but never knew the details.


Hopefully tuaman is doing well these days. I know he has his gym in onehunga. Still remember watching his fights with my family as a kid.
Pugh was the problem. Barry was naive in my opinion, bringing a bankrupt nightclub owner in as manager was madness. I read somewhere that Pugh walked around a Vegas venue for one of Tua's fights in a suit, bare feet and toe rings. If that doesn't ring alarm bells, nothing will. Investing in Pakiri was also a red flag IMO, I think it was 8 million or something crazy. The area was in dispute with local Maori so it seemed like a really bad investment.

I was around the fight game at the time and met David a few times. He's no dummy but is trusting and principled. I think he had 3 fights left on his contract with Barry and Pugh. We all thought he should rattle them off quickly and part ways then sort the money out later but he didn't want Barry and Pugh to get any more money out of him and sat on the shelf for two years out of principle. I think Inga was helping him out and they thought common sense would prevail in court but Pugh's dodgy business dealings were technically legal. I thought at the time that it wasn't going to be successful and he's was better off getting through the 3 fights no matter how much it stung him to have to pay Barry and Pugh. Half of something is better than all of nothing.

While the money issues were bad, it was the time out and loss of potential title shots that hurt the most. It was a huge mistake to cut Ronnie Shields who I rate highly as a trainer. He lost to Lennox Lewis
when Shields trained him FFS, it wasn't like he'd lost to a nobody. And he fought through a busted rib in that title shot too. If he'd stayed with Shields and got a better manager, he'd have won a title eventually for sure.
 
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Man reading thart it sounds like Pugh should of been in pro wrestling not boxing.

I recently re-watched the Dark Side of the Ring episode guide on Herb Abrams. When he announced his new federation his match maker was in prison and his main star he was wanting to use had been dead for two years. That caused alarm bells for a few, but most got excited by the money he was talking about. Instead it ended up with cocaine binges where the only thing he is wearing is cowboy boots. Like Abrams I suppose Pugh thought when in Vegas.

I've also heard of something backstage at one of Tua's last fights. The rematch with Monte Barrett. I suppose the person giving him the news may though it would motivate him by pissing him off or totally disrupt him. Either way it was an F'd up time to give him the news.
 
Besides putting his arms up after the fight like he won. Wilder was pretty humble after the fight.

His excuses that haven't come out since haven't been on the crazy level as they were after the second Fury fight. Most now are more directed around Joshua.

Joshua didn't want the fight with Wilder and was happy Wilder loss. Wilder saw it with how Happy Joshua was walking to the ring. Joshua was also going to retire instead of fight Joshua.

He had the hard fight having to fight a former world champion in Parker. Joshua fought a sparing partner. Even though Wilders' fight before the Parker fight in October 2022 was against Robert Helenius his sparing partner for one of the Fury fights. He also complained about Parker being active and the card should of been arranged differently.

Wilder vs Miller
Parker vs Dubious

Miller said on fight night he came in on 4 weeks notice. So probably a perfect opponent for Wilder but not for someone in a semi final like they were booking it if Wilder and Joshua both won. Miller also said pre fight it was going to be Parker vs Dubious but Dubious didn't want the Parker fight as Parker moves too much.

Wilders' inactivity is his own fault and something he should sort out with his management.

Parker was active as a result of some of his previous results. Being more active was seen as something he could benefit from, keeping him in shape and improving. We saw the benefit of his busy year on fight night.
 
Besides putting his arms up after the fight like he won. Wilder was pretty humble after the fight.

His excuses that haven't come out since haven't been on the crazy level as they were after the second Fury fight. Most now are more directed around Joshua.

Joshua didn't want the fight with Wilder and was happy Wilder loss. Wilder saw it with how Happy Joshua was walking to the ring. Joshua was also going to retire instead of fight Joshua.

He had the hard fight having to fight a former world champion in Parker. Joshua fought a sparing partner. Even though Wilders' fight before the Parker fight in October 2022 was against Robert Helenius his sparing partner for one of the Fury fights. He also complained about Parker being active and the card should of been arranged differently.

Wilder vs Miller
Parker vs Dubious

Miller said on fight night he came in on 4 weeks notice. So probably a perfect opponent for Wilder but not for someone in a semi final like they were booking it if Wilder and Joshua both won. Miller also said pre fight it was going to be Parker vs Dubious but Dubious didn't want the Parker fight as Parker moves too much.

Wilders' inactivity is his own fault and something he should sort out with his management.

Parker was active as a result of some of his previous results. Being more active was seen as something he could benefit from, keeping him in shape and improving. We saw the benefit of his busy year on fight night.
Wilder has no realistic chance of getting another title so he's just after big paydays. He's too old and worn to be taking buildup fights. I doubt he would've fought Parker without the Saudi payday.

All of Wilders post fight talk was to preserve the AJ fight. AJ is Wilders last chance at a big payday and he knows he has a punchers chance so that if he wins, there's another big payday in the rematch. I'm not sure that AJ wants to take that risk now though, he needs Fury to beat Usyk as he shown twice that he can't. AJ can then fight Tyson for the undisputed title. That would be the biggest money fight in Heavyweight history.
 
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Is this guy just a total moron or what?

Not a fan, all my bros love him but I value humility. Too much money too young and clearly bullied as a youngster being the only black kid on the block (I get it but not everyone that happens to turns out like a completely arrogant and egocentric prick with something to prove) that helped him reach the top, it’s a massive driving force but at one’s own demise if not handled and guided carefully, he’s over it he’s got coin now. Strickland v De Plessis will be interesting. Whoever wins will wipe the floor with him. Doesn’t even rep the NZ Flag and his trash talk is cringe. I predicted his demise before his first UFC fight with Israel only to return the favour but I still knew Strickland would take the belt back off him. Can’t believe he got discharged without conviction for drink driving. That’s never happened to us commoners for our first DWU. Trash mocking of the prosecutors too……uuugghhh. Cringe. Bad example to young kids that look up to him
 
Not a fan, all my bros love him but I value humility. Too much money too young and clearly bullied as a youngster being the only black kid on the block (I get it but not everyone that happens to turns out like a completely arrogant and egocentric prick with something to prove) that helped him reach the top, it’s a massive driving force but at one’s own demise if not handled and guided carefully, he’s over it he’s got coin now. Strickland v De Plessis will be interesting. Whoever wins will wipe the floor with him. Doesn’t even rep the NZ Flag and his trash talk is cringe. I predicted his demise before his first UFC fight with Israel only to return the favour but I still knew Strickland would take the belt back off him. Can’t believe he got discharged without conviction for drink driving. That’s never happened to us commoners for our first DWU. Trash mocking of the prosecutors too……uuugghhh. Cringe. Bad example to young kids that look up to him
Hope he gets beaten to a pulp so he can't kill anyone in my family on the roads in future, he's recidivist
 
Hope he gets beaten to a pulp so he can't kill anyone in my family on the roads in future, he's recidivist
Definitely bro, either Strickland or his white African brother will pummel him. it’s an extremely selfish act that should be punished regardless of whether or not it was his “first” time getting caught. Unreal…..
 
Not a fan, all my bros love him but I value humility. Too much money too young and clearly bullied as a youngster being the only black kid on the block (I get it but not everyone that happens to turns out like a completely arrogant and egocentric prick with something to prove) that helped him reach the top, it’s a massive driving force but at one’s own demise if not handled and guided carefully, he’s over it he’s got coin now. Strickland v De Plessis will be interesting. Whoever wins will wipe the floor with him. Doesn’t even rep the NZ Flag and his trash talk is cringe. I predicted his demise before his first UFC fight with Israel only to return the favour but I still knew Strickland would take the belt back off him. Can’t believe he got discharged without conviction for drink driving. That’s never happened to us commoners for our first DWU. Trash mocking of the prosecutors too……uuugghhh. Cringe. Bad example to young kids that look up to him
relax guys. He's great, watch his doco.
You think people in his line of business are going to be normal humans?

You predicted his demise before his first UFC fight? LOL - did you predict his fairly unprecedented title reign and being the first 2 x middle weight champ

I've seen him fight at the Auckland Boxing Association way before fame & he always had the indescribable star quality. It's amazing he's achieved it all from our hometown.

RTS has been done drink driving (worse reading than Israels) do we want him beaten to a pulp? edit maybe not a worse reading
 
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relax guys. He's great, watch his doco.
You think people in his line of business are going to be normal humans?

You predicted his demise before his first UFC fight? LOL - did you predict his fairly unprecedented title reign and being the first 2 x middle weight champ

I've seen him fight at the Auckland Boxing Association way before fame & he always had the indescribable star quality. It's amazing he's achieved it all from our hometown.

RTS has been done drink driving (worse reading than Israels) do we want him beaten to a pulp?
Remember him too on a king of the ring and thinking he would be a star also. Thought there was something there with black diamond too.
 
Not his first charge, if he keeps doing it and posts pics mocking the cop who prosecuted him, yeah get him off the roads, and the planet.
I think it is his first DUI charge and he has a clean criminal record.
He didnt seek name suppression like most celebs would hide behind.

The judge himself said "You’ve bought credit on the country... I accept that in all other respects, you are an exemplary citizen.”

The deleted post was pretty mild - just a photo of the prosecutor who was playing israels instagram stories in court.
 
I think it is his first DUI charge and he has a clean criminal record.
He didnt seek name suppression like most celebs would hide behind.

The judge himself said "You’ve bought credit on the country... I accept that in all other respects, you are an exemplary citizen.”

The deleted post was pretty mild - just a photo of the prosecutor who was playing israels instagram stories in court.
Ok you convinced me he's not a menace to society, "although Winter did acknowledge Adesanya previously received another discharge without conviction for driving while disqualified", which doesn't make him a recidivist drink driver, just potentially a fucking idiot, I read that wrong. I withdraw and apologise and hope he never reads this, if he does I'm fucked.
Hope he learned his lesson, didn't sound like it though going on the report of his insta.
 
Ok you convinced me he's not a menace to society, "although Winter did acknowledge Adesanya previously received another discharge without conviction for driving while disqualified", which doesn't make him a recidivist drink driver, just potentially a fucking idiot, I read that wrong. I withdraw and apologise and hope he never reads this, if he does I'm fucked.
Hope he learned his lesson, didn't sound like it though going on the report of his insta.
Prize fighters aren't usually upstanding citizens, this is all pretty mild for that line of work.

It was a bit daft to be drinking two weeks before a title fight he lost. Probably indicative of where his heads at.

Watch his doco, I guarantee you'll find it insightful and maybe even amusing in places.
 
Prize fighters aren't usually upstanding citizens, this is all pretty mild for that line of work.

It was a bit daft to be drinking two weeks before a title fight he lost. Probably indicative of where his heads at.

Watch his doco, I guarantee you'll find it insightful and maybe even amusing in places.
Link to the doco?
 
relax guys. He's great, watch his doco.
You think people in his line of business are going to be normal humans?

You predicted his demise before his first UFC fight? LOL - did you predict his fairly unprecedented title reign and being the first 2 x middle weight champ

I've seen him fight at the Auckland Boxing Association way before fame & he always had the indescribable star quality. It's amazing he's achieved it all from our hometown.

RTS has been done drink driving (worse reading than Israels) do we want him beaten to a pulp? edit maybe not a worse reading
Nah, I stand alone on my opinion of him and I stick to it……typo, I predicted his demise before his fight with Pereira. Capiche?

Who mentioned RTS, he plays league…..he doesn’t fight in the cage and has far more humility than your beloved Izzy.

Everyone should be convicted of DUi even if it’s your first offence.

No interest in his doco, I’ve been around for a while and know enough of him.

You can keep him. He’s an egg.
 
Nah, I stand alone on my opinion of him and I stick to it……typo, I predicted his demise before his fight with Pereira. Capiche?

Who mentioned RTS, he plays league…..he doesn’t fight in the cage and has far more humility than your beloved Izzy.

Everyone should be convicted of DUi even if it’s your first offence.

No interest in his doco, I’ve been around for a while and know enough of him.

You can keep him. He’s an egg.
When you really look at it it's pretty weird that he's any kind of hero for being the best at beating the shit out of people in a "sport".
If he'd gone to med school instead and learned to be a Dr or nurse and save lives he'd be anonymous, but that's the kind of fucked up world we're in.
Having said that I still watched some of his fights, but I'm one of the biggest hypocrites I've met.
 
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