By Matt Stein: Heavyweight contender 37-year-old David Tua (51-3-2, 43 KO’s) will be fighting a rematch against 39-year-old journeyman Monte Barrett (34-9-1, 20 KO’s) in 2011, according to the latest boxing news. Tua and Barrett fought to a 12 round draw in July, in a fight in which Tua was dropped by Barrett in the 12th round.

Many boxing fans felt that Tua should have lost the fight. However, it was learned afterwards that Tua had fought the entire bout with an injured shoulder. That might explain why Tua’s big power was missing.

It doesn’t explain why he was knocked down by Barrett, though. It’s not a good sign that Tua is getting knocked down by non-punchers like Barrett. Before Tua fights Barrett again, Tua will reportedly be fighting a tune-up bout. That in itself is hard to believe, because the 39-year-old Barrett would seem like a tune-up fight.

However, this isn’t the young Tua from 10 years ago when he was terrorizing the heavyweight division until getting beaten by IBF/WBC heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis in a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision loss in November 2000. Tua’s career pretty much slowed way down after the loss to Lewis, as he began to battle weight problems and long stretches of inactivity.

Tua looked good recently in defeating New Zealander Shane Cameron in October 2009. However, Tua looked horrible in his fight after that against Friday Ahunanya in March 2010. Tua won the fight by a 12 round decision but had big problems with the little bit of movement that Ahunanya used in the fight.

Fighting Barrett again may give Tua a chance to redeem himself but only if he takes him out quickly. Going into the fight with Tua, Barrett had been beaten in his last three fights including two of them by knockout.

If Tua can’t take Barrett out in a rematch, it’s not a good sign for Tua as he approaches a heavyweight title fight with IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko in the near future. Of course, if Barrett beats Tua this time, that pretty much ends Tua’s chances of getting a shot at the heavyweight title for awhile.