By Mel Ohlhoft

Heavyweight David Tua has broken his silence over Saturday's twelve round decision loss to Monte Barrett. Speaking to TVNZ, Tua said that he plans to fight again in the near future and the recent loss has not broken his spirit. He believes that loss will makie him a much better fighter. Barrett won many of the early stanzas, but it was Tua who came on strong in the championship rounds.

Tua nearly won the fight in the final minute of the twelfth, when he landed a hard combination of punches to the jaw of Barrett and sent him down hard. It was later revealed that Barrett suffered a broken jaw, but still managed to somehow find the strength to rise from the canvas and held on to win a decision.

"I know this will sound strange but I am happy with the outcome," Tua said. "I don't want to sound selfish - I know a lot of people support me and have their expectations of me - but I can honestly say, I wouldn't change a thing about the fight.

"I lost, but I won. It's like I have come full circle now as a fighter. I have always believed you are only as good as your next fight. Saturday was a good learning experience. I hear the critics have been saying that I am done. Well, I have been counted out before. I have been written off before. But respectful my name is David and I am involved in the sport of giants and I have consistently beaten the bigger and the better and I will do it again. The last two rounds is the David Tua you will see in the future."