Tweet
“24-KARAT” ROLD WEEKEND REPORT
// published Monday, 7-Feb-2005
// written by Cliff Rold
JUDAH WINS IN REMATCH CLASSIC
St. Louis, Missouri – For fans of great skill in boxing, Zab Judah (33-2, 24 KO’s) and Cory Spinks (34-3, 10 KO’s) was as fulfilling the second time as it was the first. It was also more definitive. Eliminating the last year of debates about who really walked away from their first encounter the winner, Judah stopped Spinks in the ninth round to win the World welterweight championship after a dashing display of left hand power punching.
ZAB FINALLY LIVES UP TO THE GYM LEGEND!
Hailed from his amateur days as a future heir to pugilistic greatness, Judah’s career had
been up to now akin to the basketball playground legends of New York City when the talent
never met the towers. His losses to Kostya Tszyu and Spinks, while shaded with some
controversy, they also carried elements that many felt were reflective of Judah’s immaturity. He
displayed none of that Saturday night. Fighting the finest fight of his life, Judah used double and
triple jabs to upset the tempo of Spinks and carry the fight to the son of former World heavyweight champion Leon Spinks.
PEDRO FROM RINGSIDE THOUGHT ZAB PITCHED NEAR SHUTOUT!
While a case could be made for an even fight through the first six rounds, Judah pushed on the gas in the seventh, dropping Spinks at the end of the round (though it was ruled a slip) and carrying that aggression into the eighth. Finally, in the ninth, Judah capitalized as Spinks pulled back with his hands down and Judah landed the left hand of a lifetime, rocking Spinks and beginning the flurried assault that would drop, and lead to the stoppage, of the champion who won his title in December of 2003 with a Decision over Ricardo Mayorga.
SKY’S THE LIMIT FOR JUDAH!
While he may not have a million options, Judah now faces three options worth millions of dollars. Much more than the $50,000 bonus Promoter Don King laid on him at the post fight Media get together. Taken in the right order, Judah could maximize not only his professional potential, but his earning potential as well. Rematches with Spinks and Tszyu linger, as does the obvious…a showdown with returning former welterweight king Oscar De La Hoya.
A THIRD GO IN ST. LOUIS BEING MENTIONED!
Having shown in both Spinks fights that he can be counted on to catch Cory at some point any time they fight, that would seem the safe route to a big payday and the obvious first choice. Then comes the big question: Does Cory go after Tszyu if he gets past Ricky Hatton in June, or go straight to Oscar? The choice may be tough, but being in position to make it must be as pleasing for Judah. As to Cory…
SPINKS COULD LEARN FROM JUDAH’S MATURITY!
With his marathon-like, choreographed entrance with hip-hop star Nelly, Spinks proved something….he proved that for all his class and style, the St. Louis kid still needs a lesson in professionalism. With Judah waiting and wearing his all-business face, Spinks was dancing and concentrating on making sure he hit all his obviously staged moves for the crowd. When Roy Jones did similar things, he did them against guys like Clinton Woods. Fighting world-class opponents is a serious affair, and if you aren’t sure ask Vernon Forrest and Naseem Hamed who also had notable flops against Ricardo Mayorga and Marco Antonio Barerra under similar circumstance. Spinks looked gassed after six, which makes sense since he wasted six rounds of energy on his way to the ring.
IMPORTANT NOTE TO ALL FIGHTERS
No one pays to see guys get whooped in favor of an episode of Soul Train or Total Request Live. If you’re gonna’ do this stuff, do it when you know you’ll win. Otherwise, stop ‘Keeping It Real’ (usually code words for acting the fool) and grow up. Cory has been a credit to the game, but his inability to ever really get started last night in his biggest fight was a discredit to himself. If you can remember those jive dance steps Cory, you should make sure you can remember the pugilistic lessons one learns in “Boxing 101.” You know, keep your hands up and jab!
BARRET OUTLASTS BECK IN SUPRISING WAR
In an unexpected turn, the fight between Monte Barrett (31-3, 17 KO’s) and Owen “What The Heck” Beck (24-1, 18 KO’s) repeatedly brought the crowd to its feet en route to Barrett’s ninth round knockout win. I say unexpected because hardly anyone had ever seen Beck, but even in defeat he left strong account of himself. Rising from a flash second round knockdown, Beck fought Barrett on even terms as each man landed power shots in close quarters. It was in the ninth that the more experienced Barrett was able to call on all his wars to put together a flurry along the ropes dropping Beck a second time. Given the chance to continue by Referee Jay Nady, Beck rose with glassy eyes and was a sitting duck as Barrett put on the finishing touches sending “What The Heck” crashing to the canvas for the third and final time.
IMAGINE IF BECK HAD EARNED HIS RATING!
The real story of this fight all along was the WBC #4 ranking that Beck carried (despite never having even faced a top twenty contender much less having beat one). While his performance was to his credit, Beck was a model for why it is so important to earn one’s ranking. Barrett was a huge leap in quality of competition, but one dictated by the politics of boxing. Beck was not prepared for a fight of this magnitude, as was evidenced not only by his ranking but also by his extra ten pounds of waistline. Barrett is the opposite, a fighter who has won and lost against the best to earn his position in line for a title shot. A solid fight, but it was pleasing to this corner (as it was when James Toney thrashed another undeserving WBC ranked foe in Rydell Booker last September) to see the undeserving be deservedly knocked out.
PACKED HOUSE IN THE NATION’S CAPITOL!
Co-promoted by the widow of the late, great Motown music legend Marvin Gaye, the first boxing action of the new year at the Washington DC Convention center brought a standing room only crowd even without anyone knowing who the headliner, light heavyweight Henry Buchannnan (8-0, 8 KO’s), would be facing (turns out it was “Flash” Gordon’s Willie Standup…been seeing a lot of that guy lately). On a card that also featured work from former WBC heavyweight titlist Oliver McCall (a DQ winner against Marion Wilson), the crowd was live from start to finish enjoying a number of competitive match-ups. While these eyes spotted no one that is likely to make huge waves in the game, it was a tribute to how much fun, and how important, the local club fights can still be for fans starved for action. In the house, and sitting ringside were Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson, Demarcus Corley and former heavyweight champ Rid**** Bowe and you can check the archives for those interviews later this week.
FROM: RINGTALK.COM
// published Monday, 7-Feb-2005
// written by Cliff Rold
JUDAH WINS IN REMATCH CLASSIC
St. Louis, Missouri – For fans of great skill in boxing, Zab Judah (33-2, 24 KO’s) and Cory Spinks (34-3, 10 KO’s) was as fulfilling the second time as it was the first. It was also more definitive. Eliminating the last year of debates about who really walked away from their first encounter the winner, Judah stopped Spinks in the ninth round to win the World welterweight championship after a dashing display of left hand power punching.
ZAB FINALLY LIVES UP TO THE GYM LEGEND!
Hailed from his amateur days as a future heir to pugilistic greatness, Judah’s career had
been up to now akin to the basketball playground legends of New York City when the talent
never met the towers. His losses to Kostya Tszyu and Spinks, while shaded with some
controversy, they also carried elements that many felt were reflective of Judah’s immaturity. He
displayed none of that Saturday night. Fighting the finest fight of his life, Judah used double and
triple jabs to upset the tempo of Spinks and carry the fight to the son of former World heavyweight champion Leon Spinks.
PEDRO FROM RINGSIDE THOUGHT ZAB PITCHED NEAR SHUTOUT!
While a case could be made for an even fight through the first six rounds, Judah pushed on the gas in the seventh, dropping Spinks at the end of the round (though it was ruled a slip) and carrying that aggression into the eighth. Finally, in the ninth, Judah capitalized as Spinks pulled back with his hands down and Judah landed the left hand of a lifetime, rocking Spinks and beginning the flurried assault that would drop, and lead to the stoppage, of the champion who won his title in December of 2003 with a Decision over Ricardo Mayorga.
SKY’S THE LIMIT FOR JUDAH!
While he may not have a million options, Judah now faces three options worth millions of dollars. Much more than the $50,000 bonus Promoter Don King laid on him at the post fight Media get together. Taken in the right order, Judah could maximize not only his professional potential, but his earning potential as well. Rematches with Spinks and Tszyu linger, as does the obvious…a showdown with returning former welterweight king Oscar De La Hoya.
A THIRD GO IN ST. LOUIS BEING MENTIONED!
Having shown in both Spinks fights that he can be counted on to catch Cory at some point any time they fight, that would seem the safe route to a big payday and the obvious first choice. Then comes the big question: Does Cory go after Tszyu if he gets past Ricky Hatton in June, or go straight to Oscar? The choice may be tough, but being in position to make it must be as pleasing for Judah. As to Cory…
SPINKS COULD LEARN FROM JUDAH’S MATURITY!
With his marathon-like, choreographed entrance with hip-hop star Nelly, Spinks proved something….he proved that for all his class and style, the St. Louis kid still needs a lesson in professionalism. With Judah waiting and wearing his all-business face, Spinks was dancing and concentrating on making sure he hit all his obviously staged moves for the crowd. When Roy Jones did similar things, he did them against guys like Clinton Woods. Fighting world-class opponents is a serious affair, and if you aren’t sure ask Vernon Forrest and Naseem Hamed who also had notable flops against Ricardo Mayorga and Marco Antonio Barerra under similar circumstance. Spinks looked gassed after six, which makes sense since he wasted six rounds of energy on his way to the ring.
IMPORTANT NOTE TO ALL FIGHTERS
No one pays to see guys get whooped in favor of an episode of Soul Train or Total Request Live. If you’re gonna’ do this stuff, do it when you know you’ll win. Otherwise, stop ‘Keeping It Real’ (usually code words for acting the fool) and grow up. Cory has been a credit to the game, but his inability to ever really get started last night in his biggest fight was a discredit to himself. If you can remember those jive dance steps Cory, you should make sure you can remember the pugilistic lessons one learns in “Boxing 101.” You know, keep your hands up and jab!
BARRET OUTLASTS BECK IN SUPRISING WAR
In an unexpected turn, the fight between Monte Barrett (31-3, 17 KO’s) and Owen “What The Heck” Beck (24-1, 18 KO’s) repeatedly brought the crowd to its feet en route to Barrett’s ninth round knockout win. I say unexpected because hardly anyone had ever seen Beck, but even in defeat he left strong account of himself. Rising from a flash second round knockdown, Beck fought Barrett on even terms as each man landed power shots in close quarters. It was in the ninth that the more experienced Barrett was able to call on all his wars to put together a flurry along the ropes dropping Beck a second time. Given the chance to continue by Referee Jay Nady, Beck rose with glassy eyes and was a sitting duck as Barrett put on the finishing touches sending “What The Heck” crashing to the canvas for the third and final time.
IMAGINE IF BECK HAD EARNED HIS RATING!
The real story of this fight all along was the WBC #4 ranking that Beck carried (despite never having even faced a top twenty contender much less having beat one). While his performance was to his credit, Beck was a model for why it is so important to earn one’s ranking. Barrett was a huge leap in quality of competition, but one dictated by the politics of boxing. Beck was not prepared for a fight of this magnitude, as was evidenced not only by his ranking but also by his extra ten pounds of waistline. Barrett is the opposite, a fighter who has won and lost against the best to earn his position in line for a title shot. A solid fight, but it was pleasing to this corner (as it was when James Toney thrashed another undeserving WBC ranked foe in Rydell Booker last September) to see the undeserving be deservedly knocked out.
PACKED HOUSE IN THE NATION’S CAPITOL!
Co-promoted by the widow of the late, great Motown music legend Marvin Gaye, the first boxing action of the new year at the Washington DC Convention center brought a standing room only crowd even without anyone knowing who the headliner, light heavyweight Henry Buchannnan (8-0, 8 KO’s), would be facing (turns out it was “Flash” Gordon’s Willie Standup…been seeing a lot of that guy lately). On a card that also featured work from former WBC heavyweight titlist Oliver McCall (a DQ winner against Marion Wilson), the crowd was live from start to finish enjoying a number of competitive match-ups. While these eyes spotted no one that is likely to make huge waves in the game, it was a tribute to how much fun, and how important, the local club fights can still be for fans starved for action. In the house, and sitting ringside were Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson, Demarcus Corley and former heavyweight champ Rid**** Bowe and you can check the archives for those interviews later this week.
FROM: RINGTALK.COM
to your mom..
Comment