Mayweather vs. Judah - Still a Fight
 By Rob Scott (March 21, 2006) 
If it's one thing that it should be easy to throw by the wayside - it's the odds. In predicting fights, we've all have come up short on more than one occasion. Famous missteps have been Tyson/Holyfield 1, Clay/Liston 1 and more recently, the domination of Calzaghe over Lacy. The show isn't over until the fat lady sings, and in boxing, we've written certain victories in stone, and we haven't even heard the subliminal fat lady clear her throat and go through her warm up of 'Mi-Mi-Mi-Mi'.

On Saturday April 8th 'Pretty Boy' Floyd Mayweather, 35-0 (24), will face Zab 'Super' Judah, 34-3 (25), for the IBF welterweight title at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, live on HBO pay-per-view, in one of those bouts that the majority feel is a definite mismatch. For varied reasons, critics, writers and fans have determined that this fight will be that proverbial cakewalk for Mayweather who is universally recognized as the Pound-for-Pound best in the game. Mayweather has been seen as the fighter who can only beat himself. An A-game Mayweather is looked upon as unbeatable. He is so good that it's hard to argue that point, but notice I said hard, not impossible. What isn't being considered is all the best have lost, even at a time when we all didn't think it could be done.

When people have their minds made up about a fighter though, it is like pulling teeth to change their thoughts. Judah has been in and out of this quandary on more than one occasion. After his 01' loss to Kostya Tszyu, he lost a bit of the luster that was bestowed upon him by those who compared him to the likes of Pernel Whitaker - just with the added pop that Whitaker lacked. Many chose to jump ship and bailed on the Brooklyn native when he was down. Fast-forward to 05' and Judah becomes the 'Undisputed' welterweight champion with a stirring, and more over, focused performance against Corey Spinks in the defending champion's hometown. That win, coupled with the perception of a more focused and spirited Zab Judah, made many of those who in fact jumped ship, grab their life preservers and climb back on board.

The clichéd words of "you are only as good as your last fight" hovers over Judah, as he is once again looked upon as less than the real deal by those who before turned their backs. They are again taking the plunge and jumping ship, as if Judah was the sinking Titanic, after his WBC title losing effort against the lightly regarded Argentinian, Carlos Baldomir.

The Baldomir fight was suppose to be a snack before the main course that would be Floyd Mayweather later on in the year. After the loss Judah still gets that big meal, but so many ask - why? To counter that question, I ask, why ask why? It just seems in Judah's case most have embraced the thought that in this fight he is a washed-up fighter as opposed to a fighter that lost his focus - or one of a fighter that had too much focus. The often-made error of a fighter like Judah focusing too much on someone like a Mayweather just may have been the thing that had actually created a sense of blindness to the challenge of a supposed tune-up in a Carlos Baldomir.
Yes he shouldn't have looked past his opponent, but that's a sin that many-a-fighter has made. Fortunate for him, it didn't totally spoil his Mayweather opportunity.

Whatever the case, listening to other journalists while I sat in press row at the Theater in Madison Square Garden on the night that Baldomir wrested the WBC strap from Judah, and even listening and reading everything since, I see that Judah's fight isn't only against Mayweather, but one against
public perception as well. The common thought has been one that Judah is a modern day Terry Norris, suffering from focus lapses and a suspect chin. In their minds, Judah's chin goes well beyond suspect. With some, it isn't even a suspect; it's one that has provided enough evidence for it to be tried, convicted and placed on virtual death row. It's a feeling that a fight with Mayweather would be just like pulling the switch.

But Mayweather has never been accused of being a knockout puncher. He is like a James Toney in the sense where he has just enough pop to definitely make his presence felt, but its after a wear down process that the knockout comes. Is Judah's chin that bad? We will definitely find out when these two talented fighters meet, because his chin will be hit and hit often.

For that matter Mayweather, who was buzzed and stung by a lighter hitting southpaw bee, in "Chop-Chop' Corley, will at some point have to take that same chin test. It's hard to agree with those who see a Mayweather/Gatti type affair, where Mayweather was barely touched. Even if there is a legitimate decline in the skills of a Zab Judah, thinking the fight will look anywhere close to Gatti is, in essence, saying that Judah should just hang up the gloves and not fight anyone, let alone a Mayweather.

Before Judah's loss, this was the best fight possible. Now after the loss, true the bout may have lost a little luster, but to say that the fight shouldn't take place at all is asinine. These are still two of boxing's best. The reality is they will fight on April 8th for the IBF welterweight title whether anyone agrees or not. Just who will come out on top in this still important, and more over, still dangerous encounter? For those that pick Mayweather hands down, remember our boxing history - we've all been wrong before.
© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2006