LAS VEGAS -- Fighting heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis would be a hair-raising experience for most fighters.

David Tua's hair, though, is already plenty high enough.

	Lennox Lewis, left, has a staring contest with challenger David Tua on Wednesday.

Tua's spiky hairdo became an issue Wednesday, when handlers for Lewis complained to Nevada boxing officials about the unruly locks that stick out 5 inches or so from the top of the challenger's head.

"All of a sudden, hair has got something to do with the fight," Tua trainer Ronnie Shields said. "David is not cutting his hair for anyone. His hair is natural."

Even with the hair, Lewis still towered over the 5-foot-10 Tua at the final press conference before the two meet Saturday night for the WBC and IBF heavyweight titles held by Lewis.

Lewis himself didn't seem too concerned about either Tua's hair or the vaunted power that has earned the No. 1 challenger 32 knockouts in 38 fights.

"You can't just bring power and a hairdo," Lewis said. "You have to bring everything. I bring an arsenal."

The Lewis camp voiced concern at a Nevada Athletic Commission organizational meeting about Tua's hair, which sticks straight up from his head. Lewis will likely see a lot of it Saturday night as the shorter challenger moves his head about in an effort to get inside the bigger champion.

Commission executive director Marc Ratner said he wasn't going to make Tua cut his hair, as long as that is all there is on top of his head.

"We just wanted to make sure there wasn't concrete in his hair," Ratner said.

Lewis wears his hair in dreadlocks, which Shields suggested should also be cut if Tua's hair became an issue.

No way, said Lewis.

"I've got a Samson-like complex. Remember that," Lewis said.

The hairy dispute added to an entertaining final press conference that saw both fighters get plenty of laughs while confidently predicting victory.

Lewis is a 3½-1 favorite to retain his titles against Tua (37-1), a Samoan native who lives in New Zealand and is the No. 1 challenger for both organizations.

Lewis stopped his last two challengers in the second round, and many believe he is coming into his prime at the age of 35. But Tua has never been knocked out or knocked down and is a relentless fighter in the style of Mike Tyson.

"David Tua can punch but Lennox Lewis can do everything else and he can also punch," Lewis trainer Emanuel Steward said. "He'll go into the history books as one of the great heavyweight champions in boxing. He's up there with Muhammad Ali in terms of talent."

Steward's remarks came after Tua co-trainer Kevin Barry read a prepared statement praising his fighter's mental and physical toughness and predicting that he had more than enough power and talent to beat Lewis.

When Lewis took his turn at the podium, he asked Barry for the speech, then tore it up for the cameras.

"Fiction. I only read reality," Lewis said.