By Gabriel Montoya on Location (Nov 15, 2007)
A reliable source close to Zab Judah’s camp informed me here in St. Lucia while covering the Sho-Box card, that a match up between Zab Judah and Oscar De La Hoya may be in the works.
“Oscar is looking for a tune up next year. It makes sense.” The source said Zab was flying out this week to begin talks.
The bout makes sense as De La Hoya has claimed that he plans a 2008 return to welterweight and has “given Richard
Schaefer his marching orders” following the Cotto/Mosley bout last Saturday.
De La Hoya said he has plans for three fights in 2008, one of which may be a tune up.
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Zab = too many weaknesses to beat Oscar. There is an instructional video on how to beat Zab Judah. The secret is out. He can't overcome intelligent pressure. Anybody game will crush him at this point. Oscar has the beard to take a tough shot should Zab find the mark once or twice. Those hoping for Zab Judah to figure it out are hoping on a miracle.
I'm most likely wrong, but this is bad business for a tune up I think. Potentially dangerous. Zab would get up for this one (before I get bashed, Zab went into the fight with Miguel thinking he'd do away with him in 5 rounds, a leading contributor to the beating he took), he might put it all together for once and fight smart against DLH since it would be his last chance at glory at 147. A SD win over Oscar puts him right back in the mix for a rematch with Floyd, etc. I would go for Baldomir for a safer 12 rounder. DLH could definitely use that bout to work on the stamina without upset with his speed. He'd get more bang for his buck tune up wise.
Judah said he was moving up to 154. Makes sense to me.
DLH would brutalize him. Wouldn't be pretty.
DLH is washed up, even a beat up Zab gives him more than he can handle these days. Too much speed, too much power.
I think Oscar will win this fight at this point, he is too tall for Judah and even though Judah is stronger than Mayweather I don't think he is stronger than Mayorga or Mosley, I don't think Judah can present Oscar with anything other than speed and I think with Oscars jab and movement combined with his high activity also considering Judah's willingness to exchange I feel Oscar will bust a bigger gun in the gun fight, he can neutralize Zab's speed with the jab, he is tall enough to keep himself out of harms way if ever he finds himself hurt in any way and he is just overall skilled enough and has been seen against superior fighters with the same style as Judah and Oscar did well, he lost but didn't get KO'ed, Oscar got a rugged beard and I think this might be better than a lot of people expect..
I think Zab however has a speck of a chance to win because although Oscar IS stronger and IS taller Oscar is NOT faster, maybe if Zab can somehow bring into the ring a more mentally focused Boxer and sticks to his game plan, doesn't feed into the flow of the intense fight that it will become, can maintain his composure I think Zab can beat Oscar to the punch in an ugly war, an exciting fight that will test both mens endurance and heart.. I worry about Zab's chin, basically his overall resistance to punches, I wonder if he can hold up against someone who can bang like Oscar, has decent speed in his flurries like Oscar, has a good jab like Oscar and can take a good punch like Oscar, it will be a sight to see..
I would pick Oscar because if you compare the times that SUPER Judah showed up to the times that ZAB Judah showed up it will be very little, he doesn't give me enough room to lock in my vote for him he just gives me the hope of seeing him do what I know he has the skills to do, outbox and outwork but it all depends on Zab, my money says no but my heart says yes, unfortunately for Zab I can't bet my heart so I have to go with my money and say Oscar will win in a pretty good match up probably ending in the later rounds by stoppage (TKO only not no 10 count) and if not that then a undebateable decision, I think Zab is an exciting fighter and CAN win this fight but I don't have enough to cling on to uphold my claims, he will have to make me a believer all over again.. maybe he can do that when he faces that dude on the 17th, who knows. 100
I hope so. I bet Zab demands too much money so the fight doesnt happen.
He won't make any more money fighting anybody else. He will take whatever Oscar offers which wll be his highest payday.
DLH hasn't had a tune up since 2003. It won't happen.
This is a ridiculous idea. De La Hoya doesn't need a tuneup. If he was moving up to 160, maybe, just maybe, I could understand. But he is moving down. Who the hell needs a tuneup when they are moving down in weight. Also, at this point in his career, he should be fighting nothing but big fights. Mayweathers last four fights have been against Judah, Baldomir, De La Hoya and now Hatton. After Hatton, he will probably fight Cotto. No tuneups, unless you count Hatton. Hopkins has fought Taylor twice and then Antonio Tarver and then Winky Wright. Now he is negotiating to fight Calzaghe. No tuneups.
De La Hoya had a tuneup when he fought Mayorga. I guess every other fight of his will be a tuneup from now until the end of his career. At his pace of one fight a year, he can extend his career until 2012. He will be fighting the children of people he fought 15 years ago.