Tweet
By David P. Greisman - “Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” ~ Satchel Paige, the Negro Leagues legend who was still pitching in Major League Baseball as he approached 60.
Zab Judah is half that age, but if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter. Paige’s staying power was based on credentials. Judah’s still around because of potential.
How else do you rationalize his fight in two months with “Sugar” Shane Mosley? It is a pay-per-view event, a format once reserved for the biggest and the best. Both men lost last year to Miguel Cotto. Judah hasn’t defeated a ranked welterweight since 2005.
He was the undisputed champion in those days, a lineage that traveled back five years to the time when Mosley ruled over all at 147. Judah, in scoring a ninth-round knockout over Cory Spinks, beat the man who beat the man (Ricardo Mayorga) who beat the man (Vernon Forrest) who beat the man (Mosley).
Judah had gone to Spinks’ native St. Louis, fighting in front of a hostile crowd for short money. The bargaining leverage had come out of events from 10 months earlier, when Spinks outpointed Judah over 12 rounds. To tilt the dealings back in his direction, Judah would likely need to avoid the decision in favor of the decisive.
Round nine was one Spinks was on his way toward winning when Judah caught him with a big left hand. Judah followed Spinks to the ropes and sent him to the canvas with a flurry. Spinks got up and tried to hold on, but Judah wailed away until Armando Garcia stepped in to call a halt to the action. [details]
Zab Judah is half that age, but if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter. Paige’s staying power was based on credentials. Judah’s still around because of potential.
How else do you rationalize his fight in two months with “Sugar” Shane Mosley? It is a pay-per-view event, a format once reserved for the biggest and the best. Both men lost last year to Miguel Cotto. Judah hasn’t defeated a ranked welterweight since 2005.
He was the undisputed champion in those days, a lineage that traveled back five years to the time when Mosley ruled over all at 147. Judah, in scoring a ninth-round knockout over Cory Spinks, beat the man who beat the man (Ricardo Mayorga) who beat the man (Vernon Forrest) who beat the man (Mosley).
Judah had gone to Spinks’ native St. Louis, fighting in front of a hostile crowd for short money. The bargaining leverage had come out of events from 10 months earlier, when Spinks outpointed Judah over 12 rounds. To tilt the dealings back in his direction, Judah would likely need to avoid the decision in favor of the decisive.
Round nine was one Spinks was on his way toward winning when Judah caught him with a big left hand. Judah followed Spinks to the ropes and sent him to the canvas with a flurry. Spinks got up and tried to hold on, but Judah wailed away until Armando Garcia stepped in to call a halt to the action. [details]
Comment