Meehan wants to fight Tua

[Eric t]

Meehan wants to fight Tua
8-Oct-2009 10:08 AM

FIJIAN ‘Checkmate’ Kali Meehan has put his hand up to fight David Tua, and his No 3 ranking with the WBA might be a temptation as New Zealand's comeback heavyweight looks to manoeuvre his way back up the various ladders reports Stuff.

Tua's hopes of a rematch with Hasim Rahman in Auckland in December look doubtful. It seems on the back of Tua's devastating knockout win over Shame Cameron last weekend, Rahman might be running scared.

In the immediate aftermath to Tua's win, reports out of America suggest the inactive Rahman is now looking at a November bout with 48-year-old Ray Mercer, a former WBO heavyweight champion, in New York.

Original plans for last weekend's promotion at Mystery Creek were for Rahman and Meehan to fight on the undercard.

It was to be an eliminator with the winner of that bout fighting the winner of the Tua-Cameron clash.

It never eventuated because Rahman priced himself out of the market, leaving Meehan idle. But the issue continues to simmer.

"We must work out who the big fish in this pond is," Meehan said of the Australasian heavyweight scene in an interview with American website fightnews.com
It's a question of whether Tua wants another tune-up fight or wants a bigger name.

At 39 Meehan has been around. He has been ranked by the IBF and WBC and was the WBA No 1 contender behind champion Nicolay Valueav, the massive Russian, before dropping to No 3.

That ranking will be something of a lure for Tua. Having demolished Cameron, the WBO No 7, in such emphatic fashion, a win over the rated Meehan would get Tua moving in other rankings in the alphabet soup of organisations that shape boxing's global organisations.

Meehan, the Fijian-born Australian has fought 38 times in a professional career that started in 1997, winning 35 with 29 knockouts.

With the bulk of his fights coming in Australia he has the look of a journeyman but he has made strides in recent years, fighting in the United States and Germany regularly. He is a former North American heavyweight champion.

In 2004 he lost a WBO heavyweight title fight against Lamon Brewster on a split decision over 12 rounds in Las Vegas.

He has fought Rahman before with Rahman knocking him out at Madison Square Garden in New York in the fourth round of their WBC/IBF heavyweight elimination fight in 2004.

He has beaten former Aussie champ Colin Wilson with early knockouts in all four of their meetings and since gone on to bigger things. As a reference, an aging Wilson knocked out John Hopoate in the feature fight of the Tua undercard last weekend.

Meehan, who hasn't fought competitively for more than a year now, has sparred with Cameron previously and in typical fighter's talk in the buildup to last week's extravaganza said he felt he could beat either Cameron or Tua.

The 1.96m Meeham, nicknamed "Checkmate", even suggested he had the size and skills to beat Valuev, and the other world champions Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko.

"All three of these champions are big strong men, but they are only human," Meeham told fightnews.com.

"To defeat Vitali, I believe one needs to apply boxing skills and movement. For Wladimir, I think you have to make him fight. I do rate both of these men, they are a credit to themselves and the sport of boxing.

"I would love the chance to match my skill and heart against theirs. I am confident I can defeat them. As for Valuev, I was ranked No 1 for so long and that fight was never given to me. I have been calling his name for so long to fight me and give me a shot at the title."

Respected American boxing site eastsideboxing.com described Meehan as "hovering around the top bracket of heavyweight contenders for the past couple of years. He is at the
twilight of his career and would give the Russian behemoth a tough night at the office".

That might never eventuate. But a Meehan-Tua clash could be something of an eliminator in
itself.

[Eric t]

If Meehan dances and jabs and fights like lennox did, i think he has chance, he has a better chin than lennox so he should be able to take a few of tua's bombs like lennox did.

[N2 Shape]

Better chin thanh Lewis?

I think Meehan has a better chance than Cameron purely on the fact Meehan has significant height and reach advantages whereas Cameron would have felt like a small heavyweight for Tua to square up against.

Lets not foget Meehan was starched by Danny Williams in 1! And at 39 hes not getting any younger, and hes been inactive longer than Tua has now! I think its a great fight, not quite the money spinner Cameron Vs Tua was as not many people no Meehan in NZ. However Winner would definately get a title shot in my mind, and I think Meehan is the easier fight than Rahman for Tua.

Tua KO6

[Eric t]

Better chin thanh Lewis?

Well he took 10 clean rights in a row from rahman, lennox couldn't take one, i don't know maybe it was just a lucky punch or he didn't see it coming.

[foxdog1923]

Better chin thanh Lewis?

I think Meehan has a better chance than Cameron purely on the fact Meehan has significant height and reach advantages whereas Cameron would have felt like a small heavyweight for Tua to square up against.

Lets not foget Meehan was starched by Danny Williams in 1! And at 39 hes not getting any younger, and hes been inactive longer than Tua has now! I think its a great fight, not quite the money spinner Cameron Vs Tua was as not many people no Meehan in NZ. However Winner would definately get a title shot in my mind, and I think Meehan is the easier fight than Rahman for Tua.

Tua KO6

I agree but I see Tua getting inside Meehan too easily, pinning him against the ropes and then unleashing devastating blows to Meehans 'already tested' chin. Meehan likes to have no real guard and he's got a big 'suspect' jaw that Tua cant miss.

Meehan definately would do him some good if he can fight like Lewis. The only thing is Lewis is Lewis and Meehan is Meehan they are not the same. Meehan and anybody would be a world champ if it was as easy 'oh just fight like Lewis, thats all, no biggie'.

Meehan at 39 is desperate and why wouldnt he be, no-one is fighting him. Apart from Fijians and Australians the world dont know who he is. He had a turn on the world stage against former world champ Rahman and he didnt have enough to make the world remember him by. He's got a great overhand right but its not as reliable as Tua's left hook. Look I like Meehan but he should fight Cameron 1st. Theirs too much at stake for Meehan here if he loses to Tua, it could be the last fight of Meehan anyone turns up to watch.

Tua by early then 6th round KO.

[Hounddawg]

Umm.... Camerons finished, to notch a victory against Cameron now would at best considered a solid win....nothing special...barely an eyebrow would be raised.

Meehan is quite well known in the states and is known in Europe, theres quite a few threads on the current scene that you can search for, if you please.

I agree that Tua gets inside Kali at this stage in his career......you can't win fights when you don't fight and Kali's last couple of opponents have been less than stellar. But i wouldn't sneeze at the fight and would welcome it with open arms....

I agree with N2 shape Cameron had been built up for years as a serious prospect in NZ and Tua is the best Fighter NZ/Somoa has had by a country mile, so the money was there and the fight inevitable. Can't see the same money being splashed around.


Meehan has a better chin than Lennox For the record not even a fan of Lennox, but i just can't stop laughing It never stops, one after the other.

[toppity]

I like Meehan, but just fight someone ffs.

[Asterix]

Yeah, Meehan showed off his amazing chin against Danny Williams.

I would love Meehan and Tua to fight.

[Brute]

Yeah, Meehan showed off his amazing chin against Danny Williams.

I would love Meehan and Tua to fight.

He was knocked down twice, he got up twice. The referee stopped the fight with Meehan on his feet, as the referee did in his fight against Rahman. Meehan has never been down for a ten count.

[buster007]

this is a rehashed report from before the tua-cameron fight isn't it?

other than a bit of a payday there is nothing for meehan to gain from fighting tua so at this stage i'd be surprised if he were to accept a fight with him.

meehan should constantly go public a name and shame these high ranked fighters who won't accept his challenge. badger the crap out of them publically, it worked wonders for haye.

maybe meehan could try and work his way up a bit higher in the IBF rankings, he is no.13 now. might give hime more options.

[Brute]

Meehan offered to fight Valuev after Valuev's fight with Chagaev fell through. Kali was ready to go but Valuev's camp would not have it. Bullshit rules at that level.

[buster007]

valuev was petrified of facing kali and instead chose to fight the much smaller 45 year old holyfield and was lucky to get the win.

[adamheight]

has a better chin than lennox

and troll of the year award goes to.....

[Asterix]

Yeah, Meehan showed off his amazing chin against Danny Williams.

I would love Meehan and Tua to fight.

He was knocked down twice, he got up twice. The referee stopped the fight with Meehan on his feet, as the referee did in his fight against Rahman. Meehan has never been down for a ten count.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozA65ZmFJbE

The referee waved off the fight when Meehan was on the floor.

[Brute]

Yeah, Meehan showed off his amazing chin against Danny Williams.

I would love Meehan and Tua to fight.

He was knocked down twice, he got up twice. The referee stopped the fight with Meehan on his feet, as the referee did in his fight against Rahman. Meehan has never been down for a ten count.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozA65ZmFJbE

The referee waved off the fight when Meehan was on the floor.

Have another look. He got up and the pommy ref kept counting.

[buster007]

asterix,

as u r obviously a hater why don't u tell us who was the fellow counting in the ring.

he waived it off until he saw meehan was able to get to his feet fairly quick.

it doesn't change the fact that meehan was caught by a ripper shot and lost the fight but i think its fair to say that it was a rare moment in his career.

[Asterix]

as u r obviously a hater

Yeah, obviously.

[adamheight]

this is the first time ive ever noticed how silly the ref was...he waved the fight off then suddenly realised meehan wasnt as bad as he thought and started counting

[Asterix]

this is the first time ive ever noticed how silly the ref was...he waved the fight off then suddenly realised meehan wasnt as bad as he thought and started counting

It's Terry O'Connor. He's a poor referee, imo. He's the guy who recently gave Tyson Fury the verdict over John McDermott.

Other recent fights he's taken flak for:
Khan vs Prescott (late stoppage)
Calzaghe vs Manfredo (early stoppage)

[Brute]

this is the first time ive ever noticed how silly the ref was...he waved the fight off then suddenly realised meehan wasnt as bad as he thought and started counting

It's Terry O'Connor. He's a poor referee, imo. He's the guy who recently gave Tyson Fury the verdict over John McDermott.

Other recent fights he's taken flak for:
Khan vs Prescott (late stoppage)
Calzaghe vs Manfredo (early stoppage)

Seems they still have referee as sole judge fights in the UK. I can remember some lulus when we had that system here. Willie Pep got his score wrong when he refereed the first Famechon/Harada fight. He could not add up two rows of 15 numbers.

In the second fight in Tokyo when there were judges it did not matter because Johnny ended it early.

[adamheight]

this is the first time ive ever noticed how silly the ref was...he waved the fight off then suddenly realised meehan wasnt as bad as he thought and started counting

It's Terry O'Connor. He's a poor referee, imo. He's the guy who recently gave Tyson Fury the verdict over John McDermott.

Other recent fights he's taken flak for:
Khan vs Prescott (late stoppage)
Calzaghe vs Manfredo (early stoppage)

he was a judge at lewis-holy 1, where it was scored a draw

[foxdog1923]

Well...history counts for nothing but if these 2 meet again (Meehan and Tua) I hope it wont be another 1st round 7 seconds KO to Tua.

[funso banjo baby]

If Meehan dances and jabs and fights like lennox did, i think he has chance, he has a better chin than lennox so he should be able to take a few of tua's bombs like lennox did.

better chin than Lennox

[buster007]

annie lennox?

to be fair meehan did get up both times and rahman hit him with everything but a lump of concrete and meehan still wouldn't drop. so kali has some ticker. lewis went down like a bag of spuds from only one shot.

compubox registered rahman landing 47 of 61 power punches in that round and kali still stayed on his feet, and was still sporadically fighting back too. i don't know how many fighters would have lasted that long, not many i wouldn't expect.

[funso banjo baby]

peter okhello