By Sammy Rozenberg
The welterweight division better stand up and take notice, Floyd Mayweather Jr. (35-0, 24 KOs) has arrived. Mayweather wanted to make a statement to unified welterweight champion Zab Judah, and he delivered. Mayweather has knocked men out with his right, his left, and tonight he stopped Sharmba Mitchell with a bodyshot.
The status of being the best pound for pound fighter in the world is secure. Now Floyd is setting his sights on a mega-showdown with Zab Judah, sometime next year. Mayweather's evident superiority over fighters in speed and defensive skills were crystal clear tonight.
There was a time when former 140 pound champion Sharmba Mitchell was considered one of best boxers in the business. Although Sharmba is not a young or quick as he used to be, he was still considered a dangerous fighter. In the same sense as Roy Jones, Mayweather turns skilled opponents into journeymen.
Mayweather came out looking for a knockout and it was very apparent by how aggressive he was in the ring. For all the wrong reasons, Mitchell tried to box with Mayweather and was picked apart for six rounds. The speed of Mayweather and the difference in power beat Mitchell before the two men ever stepped in the ring.
At various points in the fight, it looked like a sparring session. A power punch to the body made Mitchell take an knee after a delayed reaction to the punch. he barely beat the count and referee Richard Steele stopped the fight to prevent Mitchell from suffering further punishment.
Mitchell was a welterweight test, Judah is the reward. Over the last couple of months, back and forth trash talking has crumbled the friendship of Mayweather and Judah. Both men have vowed to embarrass the other in the ring. The war of words began when Mayweather boasted of how easily he handled Judah when the two men sparred in the gym.
There are some in business that see Judah as the biggest threat to Mayweather below 154 pounds. Mayweather's key weapon over his opponent is his blinding speed, a quality that Judah also possesses.
Mayweather may very well be quicker than Judah, but he is not the stronger fighter. The difference in this interesting bout is going to come down to the chin factor. There is no clear way to decide as to who's chin will hold up if the two men meet in the ring. Judah was stopped once in his career, by the power-punching Kostya Tszyu. Mayweather does not have the strength of Kostya Tszyu and Judah hits harder than most opponents Mayweather has faced in his career.
The strength and speed of Judah is very underestimated. There are many that forget how Cory Spinks was able to outbox and stand up to the much bigger Ricardo Mayorga. When Spinks faced Judah in their rematch, he was unable to get away from Judah's quicker hands and power punches. Mayweather has the better defense, but Judah can turn the fight around with one big shot.
The style of Judah matches up well to Mayweather on paper. The two men tried to put the fight together once and Mayweather's demand for a larger portion of the money broke off their negotiations. Mayweather will have to come down a few million in his demand to give the public what they want by facing the best fighter in the welterweight division.
