LAS VEGAS -- David Tua entered the ring first to the accompaniment of drummers wearing lavalavas, a sort of Samoan kilt. Tua had what he called sacred beads around his neck and, of course, was wearing his Samoan warrior hairdo. There also was the sound of a conch shell used as a horn.

Fans arriving just at fight time might have thought they mistakenly entered the show room for a production of "South Pacific."

Lennox Lewis then entered the ring wearing white trunks and no robe. The champion from Britain was preceded by a flag-bearer with the Union Jack. As Lewis neared the ring, fireworks went off in the packed, 12,500-seat arena at Mandalay Bay.

The fight began at 12:03 a.m. ET.

Round 1
Tua came out in a crouch. Lewis threw several light jabs. Tua missed a big hook and Lewis connected with a right hand. Another right hand by Lewis. Lewis threw another right hand, but it just grazed the top of Tua's head. Lewis landed another right hand and a good jab. Tua missed a leaping left hook at just about the minute mark. Tua missed another left hook. He was having trouble getting inside as Lewis hit him with a hard jab. Lewis got in two more jabs. And another. Lewis' jab was very effective in the first half of the round. Lewis was staying away and pawing with his left hand, trying to set up Tua. Tua was doing little as the round passed the 2-minute mark. Lewis got in a hard jab and followed with another. Tua tried to bull his way inside, but with no success.
AP scores the round for: Lewis

Round 2
Tua was credited with landing only one punch in the first round.

Lewis came out jabbing again and landed several. Tua was bobbing and weaving, trying to get inside, but simply couldn't as Lewis kept moving, circling and jabbing. Tua got Lewis into a corner, but Lewis immediately tied him up and moved out of the corner. At the beginning of this round, Lewis' main weapon was his jab. Lewis got in a right. Tua threw a hook, but it was blocked by Lewis. Lewis got in a left-right-left to the head. Every time Tua tried to get Lewis into a corner, Lewis got out of it. Tua was wild with a left hook and Lewis responded with a left. Lewis got in a low blow and was warned by referee Joe Cortez. Lewis landed a right and left to the head. Tua threw a left but it landed on Lewis' arm. Lewis threw a hook at the end of the round, but it didn't land flush.
AP scores the round for: Lewis

Round 3
Tua keeps pushing his hair out of his eyes. The third round opened as the previous two had. About 30 seconds into the round, Lewis threw a wild left hook that just missed. Then Lewis went back to jabbing. Lewis obviously is trying to set up Tua for a big right hand. Tua simply could not get Lewis into a corner. Lewis' movement was too good and he was keeping Tua off balance with his left hand. The crowd was chanting: "Tua, Tua." About 1,000 fans from New Zealand, where Tua now lives, came to the fight. Tua got a left hand to the head before Lewis tied him up. Tua got a right hand into the side. Tua got a left into the body and was warned about a low blow. Lewis was doing less in this round than he had in the first two, and Tua was doing a little more. Lewis got in a right with about 15 seconds left.
AP scores the round for: Tua

Round 4
Tua missed a wild left and Lewis hit him with a right to begin the round. Lewis got a good hook to the head. A good right to the body by Tua. Lewis was still jabbing, but his jabs lacked snap. After that hook, there was very little action early in the round. Lewis missed a hook, then got in a jab. The crowd was waiting for something to happen, but not much was, and the fans started to boo. Lewis was moving and jabbing. He was being very cautious. Lewis got in a couple of good jabs with about 45 seconds left. Tua was still trying to get inside but Lewis just wouldn't let him. Lewis missed two left hooks just before the bell.
AP scores the round for: Lewis

Round 5
During the minute rest period, Tua's corner was wetting down his hair to try to keep it out of his eyes. Lewis got in a short hook 20 seconds into the round, the first meaningful punch of the round. Lewis was taking no chances. Lewis landed a hard right and then went back to circling. Lewis got in a hook to the body and a right to the head just past the minute mark. Then he moved away. Lewis got in three jabs around mid-round, then a right hand to the head. Tua landed a right hand to the head as Lewis came out of the corner. Tua is marked under the left eye. Tua got in a short left to the head with about a minute left. Lewis got in a right lead and another right lead. Another right lead by Lewis caught Tua on the ear. Tua missed a hook and Lewis countered with a right. Lewis landed three straight jabs just before the bell.
AP scores the round for: Lewis

Round 6
Tua opened the round by landing a hook to the head, and Lewis came back with two lefts to the head. Another jab. And another left hand by Lewis. Then action slowed a bit. But Lewis was moving with more spring in his step now and snapping his jab better. Tua got in a good hook at the minute mark. But then Lewis got away. Then Lewis threw a hook, but it was high on the head. Lewis went back to moving and jabbing again. Action slowed again as Lewis was mostly pawing with his jab. Tua was chasing him and catching the jab. Tua missed a hook late in the round. Lewis got in two jabs and a right at the bell.
AP scores the round for: Lewis

Round 7
Lewis landed a jab to open the seventh round. Very little happened in the first minute of this round. Then Lewis got in a stiff jab. Tua was bobbing and weaving but just couldn't get his punches off as Lewis' movement and jabs were keeping Tua off balance. The crowd started to boo with about a minute left as Lewis started moving and jabbing. He was not going to be provoked into a brawl. Lewis got in a short hook, and a right and a left to the body. Lewis got in a good right lead with 35 seconds left. And another good right lead by Lewis. Lewis landed another right hand with 10 seconds left.
AP scores the round for: Lewis

Round 8
Tua came out and landed a left and was warned for a low blow. Lewis landed a good right hand 30 seconds into the round and followed with two jabs. He got a short hook in as Tua came forward. Lewis landed a right hand to the head just past the minute mark and went back to his jab. Frustration was showing on Tua's face. He just can't solve Lewis' jabs and movement. Tua got a left into the stomach and Lewis moved away from him. Tua went to the body but Lewis grabbed him with his arms and hit him with a couple of jabs. Lewis got in a short hook, then a right hand to the head. The fight was tactical, but the fans came to see a brawl. Lewis got in two good jabs just at the bell.
AP scores the round for: Lewis

Round 9
Lewis landed a stiff left jab to open the round, then missed a right. It was a slow first minute in the round and crowd was getting restless. But it was following the pattern of previous rounds: Lewis landing jabs and right leads with Tua trying to figure out how to get inside. Tua got in a couple of body shots and ate a jab in return. Lewis landed a left-right-left and another left that shook Tua. Lewis landed a couple of jabs. Tua threw a left hook that was blocked. The crowd was cheering "Tu-a, Tu-a," but the challenger was unable to respond as Lewis landed several jabs. Then he came back with two more jabs. Lewis landed a right to the head, and then tied up Tua.
AP scores the round for: Lewis

Round 10
Lewis opened the round with two jabs. Tua was completely puzzled. Lewis landed a couple of hard rights to the head that sent Tua across the ring. Tua landed a hook. Then the pace slowed once again. Very little happened for the next 30 seconds or so as the fight fell back into its familiar pattern. Lewis started getting in his jab in the final minute. Tua threw two left hooks that just missed. Lewis followed with several jabs that found their mark. Lewis landed two jabs with 10 seconds left.
AP scores the round for: Lewis

Round 11
The 11th round opened as most of its predecessors had. Lewis was in a little closer to Tua in this round, but Tua was unable to take advantage, at least in the first minute. Lewis could land a jab almost any time he wanted to. The boos were getting louder as Lewis kept moving and jabbing and Tua kept doing very little. Lewis landed a left-right-left with 30 seconds to go and came back with another jab.
AP scores the round for: Lewis

Round 12
The announcement that this was the final round was lustily booed. Lewis opened it up with three rapid-fire jabs, then followed with another. Lewis was peppering Tua with jabs now. Although their weights were about the same, it was man against boy with the taller Lewis dominating his opponent. Lewis landed a hard right with about a minute left in the fight. As the fight drew to a close, Lewis was on his toes dancing around, snapping jabs.

The crowd booed lustily at the final bell. They came to see a brawl and saw a boxing match.
AP scores the round for: Lewis

Decision
Lewis wins the fight by unanimous decision. Chuck Giampa scored the bout, 118-110, Dave Moretti scored the bout, 119-109 and Jerry Roth had it 117-111.