Boxing: Floyd Mayweather, JR. and Zab Judah: Two lives collide on April 8

Vubundada_Kandaba · (#1 (**permalink**))

Boxing: Floyd Mayweather, JR. and Zab Judah: Two lives collide on April 8

Photos and article by Dan Tomasino (At the Press Conference) - Feb. 14, 2006

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Floyd Mayweather, JR. entered the L'Orangerie room at the New York Palace Hotel with his chin down and eyes up, just like when he enters the ring. He was dressed in a three-piece, pinstriped suit, and immediately took his seat on the left-hand side of the dais, next to his promoter, Bob Arum. Floyd's appearance meant the press conference announcing his April 8 showdown with Zab Judah at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas was about to begin.

Across the way, Judah sat with his father and trainer, Yoel Judah, and his promoter, Don King, whom Judah had blamed for his poor performance less than five weeks earlier against Carlos Baldomir, a performance which left Judah with a shocking loss, and an uncertain future. The former undisputed welterweight champion and still the IBF titlist due to bureaucratic idiosyncrasies. Judah now says that his relationship with King is solid. Certainly, King's ability to get Judah a crack at Mayweather, despite the recent loss, helped mend some fences. It is a fight Zab has wanted for years, and, until the Baldomir loss, was considered by all to be a wise career move. Now, many observers question the wisdom behind putting Judah in against the world's best fighter on the heels of his worst performance. But Judah is undeterred, confident that he can knock off Mayweather, that he can hand the pound-for-pound king his first professional loss.

"This is an opportunity to make history," Judah said. "Floyd is the pound- for-pound best, and if you wanna be the best, you gotta beat the best ... I don't hate Floyd Mayweather, (but) I don't believe in having friends in my weight class."

Judah recognizes the challenge laid before him, and his demeanor spoke as loudly to that end as his words did. As Arum stood at the podium welcoming the media, Zab stared straight ahead, his elbows propped up on the table in front of him, his hands clasped below his chin. Sunglasses concealed his eyes, but the rest of his garb spoke volumes. He wore baggy jeans, a black hooded sweatshirt and a black brimmed beanie turned backwards. He is, as King later described him, an "urchin of the ghetto," and his gaze never wavered. Dead serious. All business.

Mayweather flipped through a recent edition of Boxing Digest, waiting for his turn to speak while Arum and King hyped the fight, occasionally looking up to respond facially to the promoters' comments.

"Unfortunately, I am (zero for two against King-promoted fighters) in my career," Arum said at one point, referring to the fact that he's lost the only other fights that he and King have co-promoted during the last 26 years. "But my guy is going to get me revenge," he said, looking at Mayweather. Floyd looked up at Arum and winked. As King, still in fine form when entertaining the media, questioned Mayweather's hunger to continue winning, the 35-0 (24 KO's) Mayweather looked up and subtly raised an eyebrow, subtly flashed a frown, even subtly smiled. He knows the game, and later, while holding court with a group of reporters, Mayweather shot back.

"The legendary promoter Don King," he said, loud enough to catch King's ear a few feet away. "He can promote a fight, but he can't fight. Always remember that."

Floyd and Zab were on full display during the press conference. The two men are so similar, yet so different. They have known each other since childhood, and the friendship they forged over the years is easy to understand. One gets the sense that, behind closed doors, there is more binding them together than separating them. They've both been boxing almost since they learned to walk. They come from families of fighters, and each has followed his father's footsteps into the world of professional prizefighting. Both lead flashy lifestyles, both talk trash, both want to be recognized as the best in the world. And both can fight.

But, while Mayweather has glided through his entire career as gracefully as he slips a jab, Judah's career has been a roller-coaster ride, full of long, slow hauls up to the peaks, and violent, rapid descents into the valleys. Floyd enjoys the media, thirsts for attention and thrives under the spotlight. He has crafted his public persona carefully. Once thought to be arrogant and tasteless, Floyd is now viewed as charismatic and entertaining. Zab, on the other hand, remains rough around the edges. He's a tad volatile and extremely unpredictable, as illustrated by his actions before the Baldomir fight, when he sucker-punched his opponent during the prefight ring instructions.

The two pugilists' careers remained separate for nearly a decade, but, now, they intersect. Mayweather, a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, began his pro career as a junior lightweight less than a month after Judah, from Brooklyn, New York, did so as a junior welterweight. Mayweather beat Judah to a world title, claiming his first belt in his eighteenth bout by defeating Genaro Hernandez in October 1998 for the WBC crown. Mayweather was honored by The Ring magazine as 1998's Fighter of the Year, while Judah labored without an alphabet strap until February 2000, when he won the vacant IBF title by defeating Jan Piet Bergman. Still, Judah was as highly regarded as Mayweather, having won his first 27 starts, most in dominant fashion, behind a rare blend of speed and power. When he met Kostya Tszyu in November 2001 in a 140-pound unification match, many considered him the favorite. Though he was stopped late in round two, floored by Tszyu's masterful right hand and disoriented enough to cause referee Jay Nady to halt the fight just prior to the bell, Judah dominated round one of the fight, stunning Tszyu with quick combinations. Zab reacted violently to the early stoppage, throwing his corner stool across the ring and attacking Nady, actions that resulted in a six-month suspension from boxing.

When he returned to the ring, Judah righted the ship with three solid victories before moving up to the welterweight limit and challenging then- undisputed champion Cory Spinks in April 2004. Judah lost the decision, but rebounded with a pair of wins to earn a second shot at Spinks in February of last year. With the outcome of the fight set to determine his future, Judah went into Spinks' hometown of St. Louis, overcame the hostile crowd, and defiantly conquered the overconfident champion via ninth-round stoppage.

Most observers assumed that victory meant Judah, 34-3, 25 KO's, had forever laid to rest the forces that, in the past, had prevented him from fulfilling his enormous potential. A quick dispensation of challenger Cosme Rivera last May seemed to confirm that assumption. Then January 7 rolled around, and Judah lost his cool, lost his titles, and nearly lost his career to Baldomir.

Meanwhile, Mayweather has been perched atop the boxing landscape for quite some time, universally praised as the best fighter on the planet. He won titles at junior lightweight, lightweight and junior welter. His last two opponents, Arturo Gatti and Sharmba Mitchell, both said after their tilts with Mayweather that he was better than they expected, quicker than they expected, and cautioned others to stay away. Many have heeded that warning. Zab Judah, though, has ignored it. He wanted Mayweather before Jan. 7, and he wants him now. Though still claiming to have won the Baldomir fight, Zab acknowledged at the press conference that he underestimated Baldomir and wasn't focused.

"Forget January 7, that wasn't me; you know that," he told the horde of media. "Don, we will be three-and-0 come April 8. Don't miss it. That '0' gotta go, trust it."

Yoel Judah, a champion boxer and martial artist himself, reiterated what his 28-year-old son said.

"The Baldomir fight, y'all seen it. That wasn't him," Yoel said in a subdued tone. "I want to thank Floyd for giving (Zab) the opportunity ... we thrive on opportunities like this, coming from behind. When we're down, we know (how to get up) ... Floyd is not (going to be) in there with an ordinary fighter."

Yoel's presence at the press conference, seated beside his son, stood out in contrast to the Mayweather side of the stage. Floyd estranged his father years ago, and to this day relations are strained. Floyd is trained by his uncle, Roger Mayweather, the family member he most reveres. Roger was absent from the press conference, though, leaving Floyd to fend for himself while Zab had his father at his side.

Not that Mayweather needed any support. He has always been his own man, an individual. When he took the podium, game face on, the soon-to-be 29-year- old said, "Zab got here with hard work and dedication; I got here with hard work and dedication. He's the best in the East, and I'm the best in the West.

"Boxing takes this, it takes this and it takes this," Floyd continued, pointing to his head, chin and heart. He then pointed to his fist and heart, and said, "Zab got this, and he got this, but he don't got this." Floyd pointed to his chin.

Judah's chin has always been his weakness. It was exposed by Tsyzu, and embarrassed by Baldomir. Now, he must find a way to protect it from the ultra-quick hands of Mayweather. Judah knows his flaw, and instead of going on the defensive about it, reminded reporters afterward that Mayweather has been stunned by punchers less powerful than himself.

"He makes a lot of mistakes," Judah said of Mayweather, refuting the notion that he is flawless between the ropes. "Sharmba Mitchell hurt him, DeMarcus Corley hurt him, but these guys are not great finishers. I can finish when I got a guy on the ropes. Come April 8, I'll show the world."

Judah may sound arrogant for a guy who just lost in his hometown to a 34- year-old journeyman, but he certainly recognizes the mountain he has to climb. He understands the greatness of Mayweather, and he knows that his own place among boxing's elite is hanging by a thread.

Prior to the start of the press conference, while Judah spoke matter-of- factly with reporters, I asked if this fight represents his entire career. "Definitely. Most definitely," Zab replied. Afterward, as media members were filing out of the room, I asked him how it would feel to win on April 8.

"It's gonna be beautiful," he said. "I'll be back at the top of the game."

Back on top just three months after hitting rock bottom. That's the plan. That's what a fight with Floyd Mayweather, JR. can do for you. Just one cavea, you have to beat him for it to work.

blackneck · (#2 (**permalink**))

Ought to be one of the greatest fights to-date! But i like Zab Judah to win in the

latter rounds. "Please don't get it twisted" Mr Mayweather is no joke and a force to

be reckon with to say the least. My man Zab Judah will have to bring his "A" game!

in order to pull out a win, Time will tell. blkboxing usflag

Vubundada_Kandaba · (#3 (**permalink**))

blackneck wrote:

Quote:

Ought to be one of the greatest fights to-date! But i like Zab Judah to win in thelatter rounds. "Please don't get it twisted" Mr Mayweather is no joke and a force tobe reckon with to say the least. My man Zab Judah will have to bring his "A" game! in order to pull out a win, Time will tell. blkboxing usflag
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Quote:

I hope Zab wins too. I just hope Floyd does not knock him out like Kostya Tszyu. I remember Zab'slegs wiggling like a ten monthold baby trying to stand up. It was funny though. His mind was telling him to get up, but his legs were telling him to stay down. Somebody said "Zab Judah unaccustomed to finding himself on the canvas, he leaped up too early, his legs uncertain. More significantly, his brain had been short-circuited. He danced crazily around the ring like an underage drinker in an after-hours Brooklyn social club. Referee Jay Nady immediately stopped the fight, at which point Judah behaved badly for a few minutes". Afterwards the guy went crazy, choking the referee, throwinga stoolinto the ring. I will be watching.