By Johnny Walker
New York’s Monte “Two Gunz” Barrett has become something of a heavyweight boxing celebrity in the land Down Under, following his big win over local hero David “Tuamanator” Tua in their rematch last month in Manukau City, New Zealand.
Barrett, who took Tua’s regional Asian Pacific and Oriental heavyweight titles with him when he left the area, is now being targeted by the man who held those belts before being brutally demolished by Tua in 2009, Shane Cameron.
Perhaps seeing Barrett, 40, as a softer touch than Tua, www.stuff.co.nz reports that Cameron has offered Barrett $100,000 plus a share of TV revenue for a fight down under. Cameron badly would like to get his titles, and the higher ranking that usually accompanies them, back, even though he has moved down to cruiserweight for his last three fights (all victories).
Barrett apparently made $80,000 for his second fight with Tua, and had loudly objected to being cut out of any TV money by Camp Tuamanator.
Barrett has reportedly countered with a demand of $200,000 to fight Cameron. There has also been talk of a third fight with Tua, as the first two installments were highly entertaining contests. Barrett, a devotee of professional wrestling, has even suggested that he and Tua grapple instead of box for their next meeting in a ring.
All of this adds up to something of a late career renaissance for Barrett.
As for Tua, who came within a whisker of knocking Barrett out in the final round of their rematch, he is said to be planning a quick return to the ring, possibly this November in Auckland, NZ.