By Rick Reeno
Good friends, but better enemies. The cliché theme which surrounds Saturday's pay-per-view extravaganza between "Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather (35-0, 24 KOs) and IBF welterweight champion Zab "Super" Judah (34-3, 25 KOs). The two meet in the main event at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV.
The other theme that seems to circle the event is bragging rights for the promoters of the two combatants. Bob Arum and Don King have not jointly promoted a pay-per-view event since 1999, when they came together to stage a bout between Oscar De La Hoya and Felix 'Tito' Trinidad. The bout turned out to be the highest grossing non-heavyweight fight in pay-per-view history, but severely lacked the advertised in-ring fireworks. Both promoters, like their fighters, predict a dramatic knockout to end the fight.
Let's not forget the marketing punchline of both fighters being huge fans of rap music. I don't know what their taste in music has to do with the fight, but I do expect a heavy presence from the rap music industry at the live event. I would not be surprised if the first couple of ringside rows were mobbed with rap superstars.
If Judah has any hope of salvaging his declining career, he has to fight great to win or look great in losing. Regardless of the outcome, Judah cannot afford a poor performance in the ring. Mayweather needs to win big, or at the very least put on a more dominating performance than Carlos Baldomir had against Judah in January.
Forget what both fighters have been saying, both of them have a lot of pressure on them to put on a spectacular performance. The pressure to perform well is a good thing for the boxing public, because both men will be hitting the ring with the mindset of giving their very best.
The staff of BoxingScene comes together to voice their opinions, strategies and predictions for the big fight.
Ron Borges - I like Mayweather by decision. This could be one of the best fights of the year if Zab Judah comes to fight because he has enough speed and power to push Mayweather. The problem for him, in addition to the obvious one named Floyd Mayweather, Jr., is that in the culture in which he lives the worst thing he could face is being stopped by Mayweather. So does he fight to win, and thus take the kind of chances that could turn him upside down and his supporters against him, or does he play it safe, spend most of the night moving backwards and side-to-side and then complain he got screwed by the judges when he loses a decision? I think he'll choose the latter once he experiences Mayweather's hand speed once or twice and gets hit when he thought he was at a safe distance.
Brent Matteo Alderson - I like Mayweather in a fight similar to the Corrales fight. I think Mayweather will be super cautious, pick his shots, and win a dominating clear cut decision or stop Zab late around the tenth. With that being said I'm looking forward to see what happens when the Pretty Boy gets hit. He hasn't fought a top 25-pound-for-pound guy since Castillo and the Judah fight will be a good barometer to see where Mayweather stands in the 147 pound division, specifically in regards to De La Hoya and Margarito.
Really I've been disgusted with Floyd's recent level of competition and with the exception of Corley, they made Roy Jones's hand picked opponents look like the Mike Tyson from the Nintendo Punch Out video game. Also, anybody who thinks Floyd is going to take Zab out early is grossly mistaken. When was the last time that Mayweather scored a knockout before the sixth? Try 1998.
Hank Kaplan - I like Mayweather in this fight. The guy is so quick that most of his fights are like sparring sessions. He hits you and never gives you a chance to hit him back. Mayweather to win by a stoppage.
Tim Smith - I like the speed of both fighters. I think Zab has more power, but he has a tendency to be a little unfocused and out of control in the ring. I like Mayweather's defense and his speed. He can use those to his advantage. Mayweather by decision.
Charles Jay - Zab Judah will actually show up for this fight, but so will Floyd Mayweather. The fight is going to be competitive for as long as it lasts. Mayweather by knockout.
Dave Sauvage - At the end of the day, there's just no way to go against Floyd Mayweather. He's too consistent and too masterful. People like to say that he was rocked by DeMarcus Corley , but I watched that fight several times and didn't notice anything more than a marketing savvy fighter trying his best to make it look competitive.
Zab, by contract, has a host of issues. While he may very well be the second most gifted fighter on the planet , he's also the least consistent. Given his quiet nature as of late, he'll likely show up for the fight, but even a perfect Zab can't take down Pretty Boy, no matter how much we'd like to see it.
I say it's an exciting twelve-round affair, with Floyd taking the majority of the rounds for a 8-4 or 9-3 unanimous decision.
Javier Molina - Floyd has too much speed, and skill for Zab, I believe it will be a great fight, even a possible fight of the year contender. Floyd wins by unanimous decision.
Sammy Rozenberg - Mayweather will frustrate and outwork Judah on route to a unanimous twelve round decision.
Ja Lang G. Greene - If the last two years have taught me anything about the sweet science, it’s that no one is invincible. If Roy Jones Jr. can lose three consecutive bouts (two by devastating knockout) and Kevin Mcbride can make Mike Tyson quit … anything is possible. The easy choice is to say that Mayweather will steamroll past Zab on his way to eternal greatness. Going against the grain is not the easiest or safest pick in this case as I can already see the guys at the office waiting for me at the cooler when they read this prediction. I go with Zab. I hope my defense & chin proves to be as strong as this bold pick. Zab TKO 11
Mike Indri - I wasn't giving Judah much of a chance BEFORE his disappointing showing against Carlos Baldomir in January. I do see a much more dedicated and fired up performance coming from Zab Judah Saturday night; unfortunately he is going up against the greatest fighter of this generation, boxing's ultimate pound-for-pound king, "Flamboyant Floyd" Mayweather.
There is no match for Mayweather, and while it will be good while it lasts - ala Hagler vs. Hearns - (ok, maybe not that good!) Judah will not survive against the prodigious Mr. Mayweather for all that long.
Floyd Mayweather knocks out Zab Judah within 4-5 rounds.
Dr. Peter Edwards - Mayweather by way of a dominating knockout within ten rounds.
Richard McManus - Mayweather is the superior technical fighter and rarely gets hit squarely with right hands. The thing here is that Judah is a southpaw with above average power. Mayweather has shown some difficulty with other southpaws. If Judah can stay focused at all times he may pose problems for Mayweather. But if Judah’s attention strays, even for a moment, Mayweather will take advantage. Judah’s best chance is to catch Mayweather with power punches and if he catches him square we may get to find out exactly how good Mayweather’s chin is. What will probably unfold is Mayweather exposing Judah’s massive holes, both technically and mentally, and winning a unanimous decision.
Evan Korn - Mayweather, like all great fighters, rise to the occasion when the lights shine brightest. As the headliner on a PPV card (no matter how unwarranted putting this fight on PPV is), Mayweather will dominate and befuddle Judah via a 6th round KO.
Kevin Kincaid - April 8th will be a Moment of Truth for two men, Zab Judah and Floyd Mayweather. Zab, I feel, has been overrated for many years. Despite his substantial talent and abilities, Zab has always had a tendency to show mental lapses in the ring and inconsistency. This was apparent in three fights of note, the Pineada win…which was far closer than it should have been, the Spinks loss, and the loss to the unheralded Carlos Baldomir.
One could also make an argument that the Tszyu loss was also a case of Zab not focusing on the task at hand; but I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt in that case, considering Kostya’s credentials. With Pineda, Spinks, and Baldomir it is far more obvious of Zab’s lack of focus. Just because a fighter has great talent, it does not mean he is a “great” fighter. What I mean by that is this, if you have the fastest car in the world and don’t know how to drive, the odds are you are never going to win the biggest races against the best drivers in the world.
Floyd Mayweather Jr., on the other hand, has shown time and again that he is capable of rising to the occasion. He showed this against the far more experience Genaro Hernandez, against the young and hungry Diego Corrales, and in the rematch with the only man to test his limits, Jose Luis Castillo. Floyd has great talent and great focus. His mind is always on the fight, always working, and always finding new ways to dissect his opponent. He has one of the fastest cars on the track and he knows how to drive it.
On April 8th, I expect the best Zab Judah possible to show up, the one that beat Cory Spinks in the rematch; but it still will not be enough. Zab’s speed might give Mayweather some trouble in the early going; but all the while Floyd is going to be looking for and taking advantage of every chink in Zab’s armor…….which will frustrate Judah to a great degree; and that spells trouble for “Super”. If Zab is too active, he will have to deal with Mayweather’s counters, if he is too conservative, he will be on the defensive and have to deal with Floyd’s defensive puzzle when he attempts to counter. The fact is Floyd is a thinking man’s fighter and Zab is not and come April 8th Floyd’s professionalism will win him the day. Zab, being as talented as he is, will have his moments; but, ultimately, Floyd will dictate the tempo of the fight, causing Zab to become more and more frustrated, leaving him even more open to Floyd’s shots, frustrating Zab more….do you see a pattern here? The fight will start off close with Floyd taking control by the mid to late rounds and by the last round, it will be All Mayweather and he will win a relatively easy UD.
Of course there is always a possibility for a knock-out; but I don’t see it happening in this contest.
Sergio Martinez - After what I like to refer to as “The Baldomir Inncident”, it is hard to really get behind this fight. The potential of it being a good fight is there, but that is simply because Zab Judah is a talented as he is flawed and can punch with that left-hand. Still he is facing the top pug around in “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather Jr. If a limited banger like Carlos Baldomir can frustrate Zab and make him have a mental meltdown, what kind of reaction from Judah can one expect when a defensive wizard like Mayweather, Jr. does his thing?
I see Floyd having his way in this fight and completely dominating Judah. He will get off first with quick, solid combinations and will not wait around for any return fire. This fight will not go past eight-rounds as Zab will mentally quick early on and the referee will call a halt to the bout.
James Blears - Focus is something that Floyd Mayweather Jr never lacks. But we've seen that Zab Judah's mind can wander when he's not motivated. Floyd's so slick and quick he's seldom tagged hard. But there are real question marks and punctuation marks about Zab's chin.
I feel the best that Zab can do is to fight the fight of his life and NOT get careless, so he can confound Floyd's prediction of a knockout. Floyd is mortal and when pressured hard this does show. In his first encounter with Jose Luis Castillo, the Mexican slugger demonstrated that it is possible to take Floyd all the way down the line, rattling and shaking him up, like a brand new boxcar that got its pretty sheen buffeted and dented. Although Zab doesn't possess that power, he does have the speed of an express train, and his punches can whistle.
I want this fight to last the full distance because I'm convinced it's got the potential hallmark of greatness. Floyd always performs. So it depends if Judah is prepared to go for broke and try to win- if not hands down, and give us a career defining performance. Even then I still don't thing it will be enough to de-rail Floyd, who will win by a unanimous decision. Hope they'll still be friends when it's all over?
Mark Workman - I don't believe that Zab Judah can beat Floyd Mayweather, but I also didn't believe that Serguei Lyakhovich could beat Lamon Brewster. But that turned out to be one helluva' fight. I don't care who wins this Mayweather/Judah fight as long as it's a great fight for the fans. The last thing we need is another "draw" like Rahman/Toney. I think Mayweather is much too talented and much too fast for Judah. I'm expecting Mayweather to KO Judah inside of seven rounds.
Ronnie Nathanielsz - Floyd Mayweather is by far the finest pound for pound fighter today. He is the complete technician who throws punches with precision, has speed, moves well in the ring and is hard to hit.
He is always in shape and takes every fight seriously. Zab Judah doesnt stand a chance. Pretty Boy should toy with him before eventually putting him away by the tenth round.
Jose Martino - I see Mayweather punching his way to a late round knockout.
Joe Harrison - Although he lost his last fight against Baldomir, I think Judah will come in more focused against Mayweather. However, I think Mayweather's speed, power, and skills will be too much for Judah. Mayweather is indeed the best pound-for-pound boxer today, and he will put on another show for us.
Mayweather over Judah by 8th round KO
"JC" Jerry Casarez - Easy pick in this fight is Mayweather...but there's more to it than the obvious. Judah possesses the same type of hand speed as Floyd so he too can strike at any moment with his vicious left hand, but I believe that it is his foot speed and his ability to use his legs that will surprise most fans.
Although Zab is responsible for the wrath of bad talk of what an inconsistent fighter he is due to his lackluster performance against Carlos Baldomir. One must remember that when Zab is focused, he is a man that not even the best Pound for Pound fighter can stop. Mayweather has a better defense but Judah has the advantage in punching power. Mayweather likes to tuck his chin behind his right shoulder, but against a south paw this could leave openings for a right hook.
Look for a chess match early with both fighters trying not to make a mistake but with Zab taking over after the 4th round by using his right jab and boxing from the outside.
Zab Judah W12 UD with Floyd facing some shaky moments down the stretch.
Alphonso Costello - Figuring to be a skillful confrontation between two brash and gifted fighters, Saturday night’s contest between the mythological pound-for-pound champ and former welterweight champion is serving under the false pretense of an IBF title bout. Floyd Mayweather Jr. versus Zab Judah has enough volatile elements to produce a riveting boxing match.
Showcasing his immense talent, Mayweather will turn the 12-round fight into another sparring session. However, Judah’s hand speed should generate an attack that will sprinkle the fight with exciting exchanges. In the end, Zab Judah and his rin tin chin will succumb to Mayweather’s amazing blend of speed, power and defensive skill.
JE Grant - One is tempted to ask what all the fuss is about when discussing the Floyd Mayweather – Zab Judah contest – and with good reason.
Mayweather at 35-0 (24 KOs) is rapidly approaching legendary status while Judah at a respectable 34-3 (25 KOs) may in fact be heading in the other direction. Only the extraordinary promotional acumen of Bob Arum could make this fight a pay-per-view event.
It is not easily dismissed that “Super” Zab was clearly pummeled his last time out o in a losing effort to Carlos Baldomir, a fighter who is at best a solid journeyman. Just consider that Arturo Gatti, who will challenge Baldomir for his welterweight title (the only legitimate one), is widely regarded as the favorite in the match. Who did not see “Pretty Boy” destroy Gatti?
Certainly Judah has had his successes. Out-boxing and out-foxing Cory Spinks is no small feat. Just as importantly, after being belted out by Kostya Tszyu, Judah moved up a weight class, won a unified title, and scored wins in 8 of his last 10 bouts. He is universally seen as skilled, speedy a proven success at welterweight.
Unfortunately for Judah, virtually all of those credentials except for the time spent in the weight class, are trumped or nullified by the truly “super” talents of Mayweather.
If Judah is a good boxer, Mayweather is a great one. If Judah is quick-fisted, Mayweather is lightning. If Judah has proven his mettle against top opponents, Mayweather, in beating both Jose Luis Castillo and Diego Corrales, has beaten fighters capable of epic battles.
In no department is Zab Judah the equal of Floyd Mayweather despite being highly proficient in almost every aspect of the game. He had an off night against Baldomir. Mayweather has had off-nights and won against the likes of Castillo. Add to that the fact that no better defensive wizard than Mayweather exists in the game today and we can surmise that it is case closed as to the outcome.
Bewilderment will show on Judah’s face; far more so than it did against Baldomir. Mayweather will land thunder from angles that Judah won’t stop. Judah will get hit flush with lefts and rights, hooks and straight rights, body punches and uppercuts with much great frequency than he has ever experienced. Keeping up Mayweather won’t be an option.
Judah is no quitter and he will fight hard for as long as he can – but the chin that let him down against Tsyzu and allowed him to wobble against Baldomir will be dented so early and so often that he will wilt from the torrential downpour.
As Floyd in fact surpasses all of the strengths that are usually Zab’s alone in a fight, Judah will crumble to the canvas.
Floyd Mayweather by KO in 5.
Andy Rivera - I see Floyd taking out Judah in the middle rounds. Judah proved he can't concentrate and isn't mature enough to step up to the plate when the pressure is on. Pretty Boy is improving every time out and while this fight looked like it could have been something special, Judah ruined the fight when he lost to Baldomir in January. Now the fight has lost some of it's luster even though Judah has the IBF belt, he is not considered the true welterweight champ. The fight will make Mayweather look good and do more damage to Judah's underachieving career. Mayweather by KO in the mid rounds.
Eric Rineer - I think Floyd Mayweather, hands down, is in a league of his own when it comes to pro boxing. He's got speed, heart and power in both hands. He's demonstrated over and over that he is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. I thought the same thing about Evander Holyfield when he was in his prime, too. Even the "Real Deal" lost at his peak. What I'm trying to say is that Floyd Mayweather is not invincible. He's great, but not invincible. He's going to run into a very motivated Zab Judah on Saturday night.
Don' t let Zab's last fight fool you. He was looking ahead to this showdown. I think Zab is going to put together a great performance. I think he's got a shot to beat Floyd, but it won't be easy. I can see this one going the distance but the fight ending in a draw, or controversial decision favoring Floyd.
Glenn Wilson - Judah looked really bad against Baldomir, that was more than likely a case of taking an opponent too lightly, but even if Judah trains like never before he just doesn't have the guns to compete against Mayweather. Mayweather may not be a homerun hitter, but twenty singles in an inning can still make it a rout. I believe that Mayweather can stop it whenever he is ready. Mayweather will toy with Judah until Judah lands a few shots of his own, at that point Mayweather will turn up the heat and stop Judah in round nine.
Paul Gallegos - This is a difficult and an easy one to call. We have all seen when Zab shows up, and I mean, really shows up to fight, he is one of the top guys in the division, if not all of boxing. Then again, Carlos Baldomir whooped him pretty good last go around. Are Baldomir and Judah in the same category? Definitely not. Any other day of the week, a more focused and disciplined Judah outboxes Baldomir.
Technically, shouldn't it be Baldomir getting the opportunity in this fight and not the loser in Judah? I know that Baldomir wouldn't stand a chance to Mayweather's speed or talent, but I guess that it doesn't mean anything in defeating someone these days. Zab is an incredible talent, but Floyd is on another plane. Floyd used to be one of the most frustrating fighters in the world to watch. He would turn the event into a track meet and just wear his opposition down over eight or ten rounds. In the last twelve to eighteen months, Floyd has risen to the "Pound for Pound" king of boxing because he not only outclasses opponents, he beats them up and down the ring.
I think that this one is going to be a fine example of a skilled boxing match. Zab is not necessarily on the same level as Floyd, but he is sneaky and can catch an opponent from very classic to odd angels. Floyd is all about the speed and the newly acquired power which I think in the end will be too much for Zab. Besides contending with Floyd, Zab is going to have to confront his own demons in stepping back in the ring after a horrific performance against Baldomir.
Many times fighters fight down to the level of their opposition so let's hope that was the case with Zab. I hope that both men saw the fight between Brewster and the White Wolf. They may not have been the best skilled fighters in the world, but they gave everything they had in the bout. Hopefully these two can get it on and bring us a classic.
I have Floyd winning via a unanimous decision somewhere in the 117-110 range. Both men will have their moments, but Floyd's speed and accuracy of punches should prove to be the edge.
Jim Cawkwell - I am very skeptical about Judah's chances in this fight, but nonethless intrigued as to how he will approach the fight. He has shut himself out of the promotion, and though one whisper indicated that he did so because of his reduced cut of the prize money, leaving him unwilling to promote the fight (more brat-like behavior), there is a strong chance that he has redoubled his efforts to prepare for what should be his last chance at the big time.
Judah has the capacity to hurt Mayweather, but if Mayweather comes with the mindset that he does not want to be hit, then it will be very difficult for Judah to trap him and land anything significant.
A key difference I see between them is accuracy. Mayweather may not hold the same power as Judah, but what Mayweather can hold on to is the fact that he will land with great accuracy and I believe that the accumulative effect of his punches will prove too much for Judah early on.
I predict that Mayweather will make his breakthrough around the mid-point of the fight after dominating the first half and will force a stoppage of Judah around the sixth.
Dave Wilcox - Zab Judah has as much skill as anyone in Boxing. His problem is determination and his weak chin. Feather fisted Cory Spinks was able to hurt Judah, as was Baldomir. Some might say that a motivated Zab did a number on Spinks in their rematch that was dominated by Judah. That is true, but believe me when I say that Cory Spinks is no Floyd Mayweather. Because of Judah's skill, I think it will be a competitive fight for a few rounds. In the end, Floyd's sharp combinations and underrated power will wear down Judah. Mayweather will stop him inside of 10 rounds. As for Mayweather's next bout........bring on Oscar!
Carlos Irusta - Styles make fights, as they say in boxing. And Judah has a style very similar to Mayweather, so both men may feel uncomfortable in the ring. Gatti was tailor made to Floyd, but Judah is not. Because of the close style, it can become a little boring chess match of a fight. I don't see anyone winning other than Mayweather by points. I don't know how Judah can defeat Floyd.
TK Stewart - I like this fight despite the fact that Zab Judah lost his last fight to Carlos Baldomir. I like the match-up because both guys are young and fairly close their primes with Mayweather being 29 and Judah 28. This means that we should see a fight contested at a high level. Both guys say they are in great physical condition so all of their skills, speed, quickness and reflexes should be on full display.
I don't fully discount Zab Judah's chances like many people do. When Zab is focused on the task at hand he can be an excellent fighter as he showed when he defeated Cory Spinks last year in St. Louis. If that same Judah shows up to face Mayweather then this will be one of Floyd's most serious challenges. Zab's back is against the wall here and he knows that he'll be relegated to fighting on ESPN or HBO Boxing After Dark if he loses. As a result, Zab will bring his best to the table.
What more can be said about Floyd Mayweather? The man is the best pound-for-pound fighter on our planet and over the course of his thirty-five fight pro career he has barely lost a round. Floyd has done everything right and he's only been hit with a handful of clean, hard shots in his entire career. Offensively, he is just as potent.
Instead of "Sworn Enemies" they should have called this fight "No Excuses" because the loser won't be able to come up with one. This is a fight with two guys in their primes being matched at an opportune time. As a welterweight, Mayweather is punching much harder than he ever has and he's at the absolute top of his game. Zab may make it interesting in spots but he has never been a consistent performer even within a fight. I look for Mayweather to counter Zab beautifully because Judah often leaves himself wide open and rushes in with no thought of what is going to be coming back at him. Floyd is a master at capitalizing on mistakes and countering. I like Mayweather by a stoppage within eight or nine rounds.
George M. Phillips - I see Mayweather pulling out the win with a unanimous decision verdict.
David P. Greisman - For nearly every major fight, I and my fellow contributors are asked to come up with predictions, often detailed and full of analysis and opinions.
This time around, it seems almost like a foregone conclusion.
No matter the legitimate criticism of Floyd Mayweather's recent choice of opponents, it is quite obvious that his level of talent and dedication is extraordinarily high. He owns the definition of "work ethic" when it comes to boxers. And whereas many other boxers use their work ethics to make do with lesser talents, Mayweather's dedication, combined with his natural ability, has created a man who'll need somebody better than Zab Judah to take him down a few pegs.
Some people cite Judah as holding advantages in size, speed and power. Nonsense.
Judah has decent pop, but not enough power to put away the upper echelons of the welterweights with just one punch. While he can occasionally change momentum with a couple perfect punches, he will need more than that to even attempt to dent Mayweather's chin. And that's assuming that he can hit Mayweather cleanly when he desires.
The one-punch theory didn't work for Arturo Gatti, and he had the kind of chin that Judah lacks. Sure, Judah is faster than "Thunder," but I wouldn't be surprised if Mayweather has him out of there as quick as the speed of light.
It seems almost like a foregone conclusion. Either Mayweather knocks him out, or he takes pity on his former friend, punishes him early and then makes the silent agreement to let him last the distance.
Mayweather may be the "Pretty Boy," but this is going to be an ugly experience for Judah.
Ron Gallegos - Zab Judah has all the attributes of a very good fighter at the top of his game. But he's not going to be fighting another good fighter, he's fighting a man who is proverbially pound-for-pound the best in the business.
Mayweather was always known as a slick, shuck and run, duck and hide fighter. He's bulked up and he packs a punch now to go along with all of weapons. I see this fight going deep but somewhere between the 7th and 9th rounds, the slickest fighter of our generation is going to prevail.
It's not brain surgery: as Muhammad Ali once said, "it's just a job, grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up." I think Mayweather has taken a page from the master's book.
Keith Terceira - Though we have seen 2006 be the year of the upset already, one need not imagine that it will continue in this bout. No matter what the odds, it's a waste of money to go against the best pound for pound fighter of the last 10 years and possibly the last fifty. What has prevented "Pretty Boy" from becoming a legend in the ring is the lack of serious contenders to his throne.
While Ali had his Smokin Joe, Foreman, and Norton etc, Mayweather is missing top challengers that push him to the point where we can all see his limitations and just how truly great he could be. Judah is a great boxer but one notch below Floyd. I can see this bout going the distance but not going in Zab's favor.
The down side of Mayweather is also the up side, because he has never been pushed to his limits, just how long he can continue to get up for these "so called" big fights is a question. Like Ali versus Wepner, will Mayweather begin to toy with his opponents until one day he gets caught be surprise.
Mayweather by TKO in 10
Jose Aguirre - Have you ever seen the movie Speed with Keanu Reeves, where the bus could not go below 50 mph or it would blow up? I don't think Mayweather will go below 50 mph, but we may still see something blow up. Mayweather over Judah by a TKO in 6.
Larry Tornambe - This bout will be a continuation of Judah's maturation as a fighter and as a man. Judah took a dent to that progress by losing to Carlos Baldomir so I think he'll fight Mayweather to prove himself. On the other glove, Mayweather will be the speediest foe Judah will have faced. Floyd's speed will enhance his punching power allowing him to score at least two knockdowns en route to a unanimous decision.
Floyd Mayweather by decision.
Mike Casey - I think this one hinges on how big a statement Floyd Mayweather wants to make.
Judah is a very able fighter, but we have seen his weaknesses. Floyd can be annoying when he plays it safe, but he would appear to possess all the necessary attributes of the complete fighter.
Mayweather by TKO in four or five rounds if he steps on the gas.
Johnny Ortiz - Zab Judah created “The Funky Judah” dance after going down nearly three times from a big right hand from then jr. welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu, he is set to add a few more impromptu dance steps when he steps into the ring with everyone’s best pound for pound fighter, former Jr.Welterweight champion Floyd “Pretty Boy” Mayweather. I really do not give Zab Judah much of a chance to defeat Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Mayweather by knockout.
Rusty Rubin - I don't think Zab has the skills or the whiskers to win this fight. Mayweather is the more skilled fighter by a far margin and will test Judah's chin at every corner. Mayweather by knockout in ten.
Rick Reeno - I don't think I have ever seen Zab Judah more focused in his entire career. The guy is oozing with confidence and some of my spies have told me that he looked superb in training camp. On the other hand, Mayweather is very focused on embarrassing Judah after all of the back and forth trash talking that has taken place in the last couple of months.
There are plenty of people that see Mayweather stopping Judah in this bout, but I am not one of them. Mayweather was pumping power shot after power shot to face of Arturo Gatti and was unable to get Gatti in serious trouble or score a “clean” knockdown. The damage caused to Gatti’s face from the accumulation of punches was one of the main reasons the bout was stopped. I’m sure the other reason was the fact that Gatti was being terribly outclassed. I don’t see Judah being terribly outclassed, nor do I see Judah being pummeled to the point where his corner stops the fight.
I think the fight will be competitive and may even turn out to be a cat and mouse boxing match, similar to the first meeting between Judah and Cory Spinks. If we are lucky, there will be some fireworks, but I wouldn’t hold your breath if you hope to see a slugfest. Judah’s best chance to win this fight is to land something big, and I don’t see Mayweather putting himself in a position to give him that chance.
I think Mayweather will fight smart, pick his shots and win a unanimous decision.