Can Mayweather Overcome His Biggest Boxing Challenge Yet?

WBC Light Welter titlist Floyd Mayweather has reportedly signed a deal to challenge Welterweight supremo Zab Judah during the Spring of 2006 but with only the New York southpaw’s WBC title at risk among his three world championship belts. Regardless of which organization’s trophies are on offer, should this pairing come off it would pit two of the sport’s most highly skilled boxers in a bout that many never expected to materialize. There is a catch however and that is that Judah must turn back the challenge of Carlos Baldomir, who has won nineteen straight fights going back seven years, in Madison Square Garden on January 7th or the whole thing will be called off. But unless “Super” Judah is seriously distracted at the prospect of facing Mayweather, he should sweep the thirty four year old Argentine aside to pave the way for this serious showdown.

The major question that surrounds what is shaping up to be a bad blood grudge match between Judah and Mayweather is can the naturally smaller “Pretty Boy” step up to yet another weight class and impose his will on the bigger man? It’s true that the fantastically skilled Michigan native successfully navigated previous excursions to lightweight and light welter but for the first time in his career, Mayweather may not hold an overwhelming edge in raw talent over an opponent.

Additionally, Mayweather has had trouble against bigger southpaws before, as DeMarcus Corley ably demonstrated by rocking the three division champion twice in their bout a year and a half ago in Atlantic City. Mayweather went on to win that bout handily but the heavier handed Judah will certainly have drawn confidence from the successes of lighter hitting Corley.

But the Brooklynite cannot slip into the reluctant mode that he fell into during his fights with Corley, Rafael Pineda and the first Cory Spinks clash or the sharp shooting Mayweather will certainly outpoint the welterweight champion. Rather, Judah must make sure that the mature, patient yet aggressive fighter that gunned down Spinks in nine rounds earlier this year, comes to work against the undefeated, fleet footed Grand Rapids native.

It may all come down to which man can take the other’s confidence away; if Mayweather can make Judah miss and pay the price early, the southpaw may become hesitant to throw and fall into the trap of looking to land one big shot. If Judah can put Mayweather under intense effective pressure, as Jose Luis Castillo did in their first bout, he may succeed in wearing down the challenger and opening up the usually sharp defense of Floyd, something no one has truly been able to do in thirty five fights against Mayweather.