Ringside Boxing Report: Floyd Mayweather – Zab Judah

Mark DeSisto 4/10/2006 Boxing Photos, Ringside Boxing

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Click for larger image © Natasha Chornesky / Saddo Boxing

Mayweather Jr. Captures IBF Welterweight Belt!

The Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada was the host of Saturday night?s mega fight between welterweight speedsters Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Zab Judah. The Top Rank promoted contest actually lived up to it?s hype as it was competitive early on until the world?s best boxer, Floyd Mayweather, took over in the mid rounds to earn a 116-112, 117-111 and 119-109 unanimous decision . Adding a little spice to the bout was a blatant low blow by Judah, followed by smash to the back of Mayweather’s head late in the tenth, touching off an incident that saw forty people b! rawling the ring, witnessed by millions across the world on HBO PPV.

With Judah entering the bout as IBF Welterweight Champion, despite losing his last fight, Las Vegan Mayweather entered the ring first to loud cheers from his growing fan base. It was a tentative opening round with neither fighter wanting to lead, respectful of each other?s skill and power. Judah was sharp early as he often is, and with Mayweather a little tight while figuring out his fast southpaw opponent, the New Yorker was able to take the first two rounds on two of the three judge?s scorecards. Knowledgeable fight fans at this point were a little intrigued, so unaccustomed to seeing master boxer Mayweathe! r perhaps lose consecutive rounds.

Floyd settled to find his range and comfortably take round three, but he would discover himself under duress in the fourth round as Judah ripped a straight left thru Mayweather’s guard to send Floyd to the ropes with a huge roar coming from the nearly sold out arena. Mayweather looked in a bit of trouble but was calm under pressure and able to slip most of Judah?s follow up punches with a smile and land a few of his own, before Zab closed strong to take the round. Boxing enthusiasts were finally witnessing someone with enough speed and athleticism to challenge Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The first four rounds were about the extent of the challenge to Mayweather as he started to impose his boxing superiority over Judah from the fifth round on with lighting fast lead rights, left hooks, body punching and the ability to make the champion miss most of his punches. Judah would not win another round on any of the judges? scorecards until the final frame, when the fight was a foregone conclusion.

Judah tried to hang with Mayweather Jr., talking some trash along the way and making round eight competitive, but Mayweather?s increasing volume of landing punches started to take their toll, with swelling under the Brooklynite’s right eye, a bloodied mouth and apparently, a sapping of all his early energy. Mayweather looked well on his way to a stoppage in the tenth round, so a desperate Judah lived up to his punk/thug reputation by blatantly hitting Mayweather below the belt and followed up with a smash to the back of a bent over Mayweather?s head before referee Richard Steele could separate the fighters.

Mayweather?s trainer and Uncle, Roger Mayweather, understandably couldn?t control his emotions after witnessing the cheap, illegal activity against his nephew and entered the ring walking towards Judah to verbally confront him. Zab Judah?s trainer and father Yoel Judah quickly entered the ring and threw a punch at Roger Mayweather. A melee ensued and the ring filled up with security guards and corner men from both the Judah and Mayweather camps. The security personnel working the fight should be commended for not letting a potentially dangerous situation get out of hand, as both fighters had their groups of fans ringside.

The fight was allowed to continue and the eleventh and twelvfth rounds were uneventful. The momentum of the fight was completely changed by yet another unprofessional act by Judah. Mayweather has come a long way in building up his positive reputation from his early years in the sport and was a true professional both inside and outside the ring, as well as during the post fight press conference. With his infectious smile, newfound maturity and growing reputation as an all time great fighter, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is capable of lifting the sport of boxing to new heights and past glories while giving fight fanatics much to look forward to as he fulfills his legendary career and quest to retire undefeated.