Boxing: Dunedin trainer's heart with 'Mountain Warrior'

Dunedin boxing trainer Eldon Clifton is tipping the underdog to bark in tonight's big fight.

Clifton knows David Tua has the experience and superior speed and power, but he says his heart is in the Shane Cameron camp.

"Shane is obviously a big underdog," Clifton said yesterday.

"Shane is going to have to have a tight defence. He's been getting hit pretty easily by 50% of his opponents.

"But any fighter has a chance. I'm picking the guy my heart is with. My allegiance is with Shane."

Clifton believes the "Mountain Warrior" will have been well prepared by trainer Lolo Heimuli.

But he concedes Tua has the pedigree and the all-round skills to deserve being considered a warm favourite.

"I would rate David's offence and defence far superior to Shane's," Clifton said.

"His explosive speed is superior, and he's got more power and more experience.

"The big question mark is over his long absence from the ring.

"But David looks physically ready. He's taken the fight personally. David's never been hurt and never been knocked down."

Former Otago boxer Emmett Gradwell has no doubt Tua will win the fight reasonably comfortably.

Gradwell, the Sports Institute of Otago's top student in 1997 and a former New Zealand welterweight champion, thinks the fight will result in a TKO to Tua in about the sixth round.

"If Tua is hungry, he will not get beaten," Gradwell said.

"Although Tua has not fought anyone of class in recent years, you can't buy experience, and Tua has vast experience and devastating punching power.

"Cameron is a very good boxer. But he is not a true hard-punching heavyweight, nor has he fought any good current heavyweights."

Gradwell expects Cameron to look good early but thinks he will eventually get caught.

"At some point, he will back himself to stand there and trade punches with Tua. This will be his downfall and he will get hit, and hurt."