By Lem Satterfield
A survivor of a harsh life growing up in Brooklyn, 33-year-old IBF junior welterweight king Zab Judah is making the most of what he considers a God-given second chance.
A southpaw former holder of the WBA, WBC and IBF welterweight belts, as well as a former champion with WBO junior welterweight crown, Judah (41-6, 28 knockouts) regained the IBF belt that he once wore with a seventh-round stoppage of 31-yeare-old Kaizer Mabuza (23-7-3, 14 KOs), ending an eight-bout winning streak that had included six knockouts.
Judah was coming off of November's unanimous decision over then-unbeaten 28-year-old Argintinian Lucas Matthysse (28-2, 26 KOs), who had knocked out his previous four consecutive opponents.
This from the elderstatesman of the sport's most youthful, depth-filled and talented division along with 27-year-old WBO and WBC titlist Tim Bradley (27-0, 11 KOs), 24-year-old southpaw former WBC king Devin Alexander (22-1, 13 KOs) and 25-year-old WBA belt-holder Amir Khan (25-1, 17 KOs) of England, the latter being the man Judah will face on July 23 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas.
"I'm from Brooklyn. That may not mean a lot to some people," said Judah. "But we're known for having to step because we were used to not having a lot. So you had to take whatever you could get."
Following past losses to world champions such as Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, Carlos Baldomir, Kostya Tszyu, Cory Spinks and close friend, Floyd Mayweather, the victories are part of a career and life resurrection for Judah, who insists that his conversion from Judaism to Christianity has made him a better father to his six children, a better son to his father and trainer, Yoel Judah, and a better fighter in the ring.
"My spirituality is life. It's life. It plays out that way with anyone who chooses to take it on. When I was doing it before, I was doing this myself. But now I have the helpd of the Lord with me," said Judah, a winner of five straight bouts, including three by knockout, since an August 2008, ninth-round technical decision loss to Clottey.
"I'm not saying that the Lord is going to come down and knock nobody out," said Judah. "But he has given me certain gifts, such as my abilities in boxing, and I'm just thankful for that. This next fight will show the world that everything that I was delivered. Thank God."
Portions of Judah's past were marred by childish behavior in two of his major bouts.
There were disciplinary actions taken against Judah for getting physical with referee Jay Nady and for intentionally hitting Floyd Mayweather below the belt as well as an in-the-ring brawl, respectively, following a second-round knockout to Kostya Tszyu in November of 2001 and a 12-round decision loss to Mayweather in April of 2006.
"People hear Zab Judah, and it's like, you might have a picture in your head, 'Oh boy, what's coming,' or, 'Who invited him?' But this is one of those things that people will get to see that God is true and that God is real," said Judah.
"I'm no angel, but I have lived for God these last few years, and it's worked out great for me," said Judah. "This is something that I've prayed for," said Judah. "I'm finding myself in the right position in the right manner in the right time. This shows that anything is possible."
Judah's losses to Cotto and Clottey, as well as the decision setbacks against Mayweather, Spinks and Carlos Baldomir were all suffered in the welterweight division.
One of Judah's career highlights was a February, 2005 ninth-round knockout of Spinks in the latter's hometown of St. Louis, Mo. The win over Spinks not only avenged his April 2004 loss, but earned Judah the mantle of WBC, WBA and IBF welterweight titlist.
Judah was dethroned, however, after just one defense by Baldomir in January of 2006 before earning his firt title belt since then against Mabuza.
"I don't have a problem with having to take the long, hard, grinding road. I wasn't the Golden Boy. I wasn't the guy who was always in the limelight. I wasn't always the first picked," said Judah.
"I was always the second-string guy," said Judah. "But you know, somehow, I've made my way back to the top, thanks to Main Events and Super Judah Promotions. We're there."
The bout with Khan represents a step toward rising not only to the top of the junior welterweight division, but also in to the upper echelon of boxing's best.
"I think that Amir Khan is a good boxer with fast hands, decent power, but I think that it's a sacrifice what Golden Boy has done with Amir Khan, and he will realize this once the bell rings. This is a move toward unifying the division and me being considered the undisputed champion," said Judah.
"Golden Boy Promotions thought that I was a steppingstone for Matthysse. So you know they sacrificed one of their pawns. They sacrificed one of their pawns, and you saw what happened there," said Judah. "Now they figured that they can make a comeback if I can fight one of their queens. But this is going to be checkmate, baby."
