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by David P. Greisman - A perfect record doesn’t indicate a perfect fighter.
Nobody begins with flawless form, peerless ability, superlative skills. Rare are the truly transcendent, those who come closest to perfection. The rest peak somewhere below, then work to prolong the ephemeral, prevent the inevitable.
Amir Khan and Zab Judah were not perfect models. Their records designated as much. Judah had suffered as many losses as the number of world titles he’d earned (six). Khan had been defeated just once, but the doubters brought out after that 54-second demolition hadn’t disappeared, even three years and seven straight wins later.
But those losses weren’t the clichéd beginnings of their ends. Each had rebuilt, retooled and revitalized his career.
Judah had been a titleholder who’d fallen one highlight-reel knockout loss short of being the best at 140 pounds. Then he’d been the undisputed champion one division above, at welterweight, but not for long, losing in an upset against Carlos Baldomir. That was followed by losses against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Miguel Cotto.
He was slipping away from viability, but he still had his marketability. His name and his past accomplishments allowed him another chance, a fight for a vacant belt against Joshua Clottey. Judah would lose once again, though, and take stock of his career. Though he’d been the champion at 147, welterweights were too big for him. He began one more run at 140, barely beating Lucas Matthysse, then coming back to beat Kaizer Mabuza for a title. [Click Here To Read More]
Nobody begins with flawless form, peerless ability, superlative skills. Rare are the truly transcendent, those who come closest to perfection. The rest peak somewhere below, then work to prolong the ephemeral, prevent the inevitable.
Amir Khan and Zab Judah were not perfect models. Their records designated as much. Judah had suffered as many losses as the number of world titles he’d earned (six). Khan had been defeated just once, but the doubters brought out after that 54-second demolition hadn’t disappeared, even three years and seven straight wins later.
But those losses weren’t the clichéd beginnings of their ends. Each had rebuilt, retooled and revitalized his career.
Judah had been a titleholder who’d fallen one highlight-reel knockout loss short of being the best at 140 pounds. Then he’d been the undisputed champion one division above, at welterweight, but not for long, losing in an upset against Carlos Baldomir. That was followed by losses against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Miguel Cotto.
He was slipping away from viability, but he still had his marketability. His name and his past accomplishments allowed him another chance, a fight for a vacant belt against Joshua Clottey. Judah would lose once again, though, and take stock of his career. Though he’d been the champion at 147, welterweights were too big for him. He began one more run at 140, barely beating Lucas Matthysse, then coming back to beat Kaizer Mabuza for a title. [Click Here To Read More]
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