By Steve Kilgallon

David Tua has gone back to school for the first time in more than two decades: but Tua the student doesn't mean we've necessarily seen the last of Tua the boxer.

Tua has enrolled at Auckland University of Technology to study a social science degree starting with an initial four papers part-time while he also runs a boxing training business and does community work.

The former heavyweight world title contender gave his biggest indication yet he may fight again - declaring for the first time he is not, as popularly supposed, officially retired from his 57-fight career.

The 41-year-old lost by unanimous decision to Alexander Ustinov last November, his first fight in two years, and afterwards declared in the ring that his heart was no longer in boxing.

"If things go well and the opportunity comes about, and it feels right, then why not? Absolutely," he said of a possible return to the ring.

But meanwhile Tua is concentrating on study.

"I'm in the second semester and we are doing research, analysis and political studies: it's quite an interesting time to do it especially around the election," Tua told Sunday News in an exclusive interview.

"It is a different beast: it has its own methods and strategies of how to do things and I can't get too far away from doing things the academic way. It is do-able but it is about time management and picking up the lessons from it because obviously the last time I went to school was over 20 years ago. But it is a passion and I believe the timing is right."

The timing may also be right for a ring return. Sunday News revealed earlier this year there had been advanced negotiations for Tua to fight Kali Meehan before Meehan signed to fight Shane Cameron as the headline to November's Super 8 tournament.

Both Meehan and Cameron would like to fight Tua and the trio are the best New Zealand heavyweights of their generation.

Tua said Meehan and Cameron had done exceptionally well in their careers fighting international-class opponents.

Tua said he had never officially quit.

"I didn't say retirement - I said my heart's not in it - you've got to have more than just your mind, you've got to have heart to fight," he said. "It's more about that feeling than anything.

"We will see how this year ends then look at it at for next year. I would be silly to say I would fight [in 2014], it's not about lying to myself, it's about staying true to what I am focusing on - and that's study. Timing is so important."