Zab Judah: record, next fight and profile →
BoxingScene.com caught up to newly crowned southpaw, IBF junior welterweight titlist, Zab Judah, who is being trained by southpaw, former four-division world champion, Pernell Whitaker.
By Lyle Fitzsimmons - Go ahead, raise your hands. Anyone who would have guessed – at the close of the eight-week stretch between Aug. 2 and Sept. 27, 2008 – that either Zab Judah and Ricardo Mayorga would still be the stuff of main-event conversation come the onset of spring in 2011. Nope… me neither. Back then, by the end of a punishing IBF welterweight scrap with sturdy Ghanian export Joshua Clottey, it appeared the chatty Brooklynite was to be forever labeled a high-potential loudmouth who consistently managed to just miss the output for which his vast potential seemed destined. The Palms Casino rant that followed a cut-induced technical decision that night reeked of the same immaturity he’d previously shown while accosting referee Jay Nady, ignoring underdog Carlos Baldomir and initiating a near-riot against fellow trouble-maker Floyd Mayweather Jr. And after a fourth straight title flop in 31 months, I’d have bet a year’s mortgage he was finished. “Regardless of what they might tell Zab when he returns to Brooklyn,” I wrote in my post-fight that night, “a recent career resume that includes wins over Edwin Vazquez and Ryan Davis sandwiched amid losses to Carlos Baldomir, Mayweather, Cotto and Clottey is most indicative of where the 2008 vintage Judah truly stacks up.” Little did I know, 31 months past that nadir, the 33-year-old New Yorker would be “Super” again.
Bill Emes catches up with the IBF junior welterweight champion Zab Judah to get his thoughts on the knockout win over Kaizer Mabuza, what's next and more.
Bill Emes catches up with Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events, to discuss Zab Judah's title winning effort over Kaizer Mabuza at the Prudential Center, and more.
Bill Emes catches the post fight press conference to the junior welterweight clash between Zab Judah and Kaizer Mabuza. Hear from Judah, Mabuza and more.
Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey - Zab Judah (41-6, 28KOs) knocked out Kaizer Mabuza (23-7-3, 14KOs) in seven rounds to capture the vacant IBF junior welterweight title. Photos by Tri Nguyen.
Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey - welterweight prospect Chris Crosby (6-1, 1 KO) pulled off a four round split decision over Greg Hackett (2-6). Scores were 40-36, 39-37 for Crosby, and 39-37 for Hackett. Crosby is already set to return to the ring on April 15 against Marcus Hall (4-3, 2KOs) at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, New York.
Bill Emes catches the weight-in to Zab Judah vs. Kaizer Mabuza, who battle for the vacant IBF junior welterweight title. Watch both boxers make weight.
By Cliff Rold - Saturday night, former Undisputed Welterweight champion Zab Judah (40-6, 27 KO) will attempt to capture the vacant IBF Jr. Welterweight title, squared off with 31-year old Kaizer Mabuza (23-6-3, 14 KO). Judah pulled off the feat once before, the IBF’s 140 lb. belt being the first major title he won as a professional. It was February 12, 2000. The opponent was (Trivial Pursuit time) South Africa’s Jan Bergman. Bergman, despite being down twice in the first, provided a snapshot of the turbulence to come, dropping Judah in the second before being run over in round four. The knockdown was mostly overlooked then. Judah was still a star of the future, a “Pernell Whitaker with power.” Judah was still fresh. He hadn’t gone through the roller coaster ride yet. Those who watched his career, whether jeering or cheering, hadn’t gone along for the ride. The low of the 2nd round Kostya Tszyu Jr. Welterweight unification loss in 2001… The high of the rematch knockout of Cory Spinks in 2005 for the Welterweight crown… A shocking upset loss for the crown to journeyman Carlos Baldomir… Big events with Floyd Mayweather and Miguel Cotto. In regular human terms, Judah is still young of course. It is the boxing terms that matter here. In boxing, the Judah who enters the ring this weekend is anything but the fresh faced, hyper talent of over a decade ago.
Kathy Duva: "Since Zab came back to Main Events in July, he has done everything we have asked, gone above and beyond. He is taking all the steps he needs to take to regain that Jr welterweight title that he first won so many years ago, coincidentally against a South African. Before he can succeed he has to deal with this gentleman, Kaizer Mabuza, who has the same idea. Kaizer Mabuza has come here all the way from South Africa. I am sure he has worked his entire life to get to the same place. They both have the same goal.