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In a year when super fights still go ahead even after a loss for one of the participants, we now see another one as Zab Judah takes on Floyd Mayweather Jnr for the IBF Welterweight title this coming Saturday at the cavernous Thomas and Mack Centre in Las Vegas. Mayweather, a 1996 Olympian is unbeaten in 35 bouts in a pro career lasting nine years |
in which he has won titles in 3 weight divisions. Judah, meanwhile is a 2 weight world champion with a professional record of 34-3 in a career also spanning nine years.
Mayweather’s first title win came in 1998 at super featherweight when he ripped the WBC crown from Genaro Hernandez in 8 scintillating rounds. Defences followed against the likes of Angel Manfredy, Justin Juuko, Gregorio “Goyo” Vargas, Carlos Hernandez and Jesus Chavez. The most impressive defence in my book however was his 10 round dismantling of rival Diego Corrales in January 2001.
In 2002 Mayweather moved up lightweight and took on the difficult Jose Luis Castillo for WBC crown and after 12 contentious rounds was crowned the new champion. After writers criticised his performance, he punctuated his title win by repeating the victory in a rematch 8 months later. After two more successful defences he decided the time was right to jump to 140.
Title number 3 came in June 2005 when in a boxing master class Mayweather destroyed WBC champion Arturo Gatti in 6 painfully one sided rounds. Since then he has dipped his toes once in the welterweight division with another impressive performance against veteran Sharmba Mitchell.
As for Judah, it hasn’t been so smooth. Things started out okay when in 2000 he won the vacant IBF 140 pound crown and made 5 successful defences. Then he ran into rival champion Kostya Tszyu in Las Vegas in the fall of 2001. After boxing well in the first round a massive Tszyu right flattened him towards the end of the second session. No one that night could dispute that referee Jay Nady had made the correct decision to stop Judah. His legs were all over the place and after his silly dance was over, he physically threatened the referee and was lucky not to receive a lifetime ban.
18 months later Judah rebounded to win the WBO’s version of the 140 pound title by out pointing DeMarcus Corley. He was a titleholder again but with Tszyu still recognised as the number 1 and the chances of a rematch nonexistent, a move to welterweight was the next option and a deal was struck to face undisputed 147 pound holder Cory Spinks.
In that fight in April 2004, Judah fought as well as he had for sometime and many people felt he was unlucky to lose a 12 round unanimous decision. But Judah was far from finished, stopping Spinks in 9 in a rematch in February 2005 in the champion’s hometown of St. Louis.
However, we know Judah never does things the easy way and in January he lost the WBC version of his crown to unknown Carlos Baldomir.
Judah’s last bout doesn’t bode well for his chances against Mayweather but predicting Judah is sometimes as easy as predicting the weather here in Manchester, England!
Logic points to a Mayweather win and more importantly, he has always found a way to win. When faced with a difficult opponent like he was when he fought Castillo, he did what he needed to be victorious and pretty much said as much afterwards. He seems to be getting better and better and has showed he can handle a southpaw. Point to his win against Mitchell for that one. Judah on the other hand for me blows hot and cold and to handle “Pretty Boy” he will need to be very hot.
I think Judah can fight this one of two ways. If he looks for Mayweather there’s a chance he could get stopped. If he boxes Mayweather he could be widely outpointed. You notice I say could. Judah is that unpredictable he could shock me and the world but I always prefer to take the safe and reliable option in boxing and that at the moment is Mayweather.
Mayweather in 10 for me and with fellow Mancunian Ricky Hatton following Pretty Boy into the 147 pound division, it makes for a great year for the welters.
