For Mayweather, all roads lead to Judah
 By Rob Scott (November 23, 2005) 
Photo © Everlast
Michael Woods wrote for Maxboxing.com a story entitled ‘Sharmba Mitchell has a snowball’s chance in hell versus Floyd’ leading up to the two fighters’ showdown this past weekend. As predicted, the snowball melted at 2:05 of the sixth round, as pound-for-pound champion Floyd Mayweather did what he was expected to do to a supposed inferior opponent – he got him out of there. Kudos for Floyd, because a win is a win, and this means he will live to see another day.

With a masterful display of skill, Floyd Mayweather showed in six rounds what Kostya Tszyu didn’t show just over a year ago. When they met, Mitchell’s performance, to me, resembled a fighter that totally froze. It didn’t show that Mitchell didn’t have the talent to win, but that the talent he had was useless unless it was utilized. Mitchell didn’t use his talents and strengths against Tszyu, but in the fight with Mayweather, he had none - at least in comparison to Mayweather’s. Mayweather proved again why he is a special talent – but what’s next?

Going into Mayweather’s fight with Mitchell, I thought about Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas. The difference was, yes outside of boxing Mayweather may not be known as much as Tyson was, but by the way boxing writers and insider critics made the odds, a Mitchell win would have been as big as the upset Douglas sprung on the former ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’. Mayweather is getting that Tyson like persona, where the current Mr. P4P is looked upon as unbeatable. A fight with undisputed welterweight champion Zab ‘Super’ Judah would bring the odds to a much closer level.

I’m a realist; I can and will give you much credit off of what you have done, but whenever there is room for someone to say ‘what have you done for me lately’, anyone has a right to express that. Overall, something is missing – the fans and boxing media have asked for more.

Skill-wise, right now as we speak, I will say that Mayweather is one of the best to come around ever; but as with Roy Jones Jr., greatness can only be bestowed upon those because of what they do – not what they might do. He may beat Judah, Antonio Margarito, Ricky Hatton and all others, but true credit can only be given when something is actually done.

Next up is supposed to be Judah, a fighter who is no walk in the park. Even if you deem him just that, it is a walk one would take through New York’s Central Park at night – Danger is written all over it. Haggling has stopped this fight from taking place thus far, but now let’s hope that all of that has come to an end.  

I received an interesting response to an article of mine entitled ‘A Mayweather risk can bring him rewards’ from a Doghouse reader by the name of Jimmy Tobin. He asked, who are we to set demands on someone else, even though we know we wouldn’t let that happen to ourselves. He, like many, thinks that Mayweather will eventually silence his critics. He called Mayweather “The Truth”; well the definition of truth is reality or fact, but the facts can be rearranged by insincerity – which can make the truth a mere perception.

There are indeed facts though connected to Floyd Mayweather, as he is an outstanding talent; Mayweather is one of the best that I’ve seen; and he has outclassed those put in front of him; but he also has yet to meet and beat Zab Judah in a prize fight. Their sparring session has had many talking – with most saying Mayweather got the best of Judah. That along with Judah’s ‘01 loss to Kostya Tszyu and just the current Mayweather personas have some saying that the two aren’t in the same class. But realistically, we all know that there is a difference in sparring and fight night; and for those that speak of the class difference, they may need to go back to class and see that any man in this game can be beat, ala Tyson/Douglas.

Judah has already made many detractors bite their tongues by coming back and winning the undisputed welterweight crown when they said it wouldn’t and couldn’t be done. Mayweather can indeed beat Zab Judah. But let’s not get the thought twisted; Zab Judah has all the skills in the world to beat Floyd Mayweather. Neither fighter has a definite advantage over the other. That’s what makes this a fight that has to happen.

When it comes to class, for me personally, I hate to put a fighter in the great category until one’s career is all but done. For these two, with their youth, it is as if they are in the tenth grade and their senior year is far off. Mayweather is a star pupil and Judah just may have been standing in his own way, but the Judah that has surfaced in the past few years is one that has sidestepped the negative urged version of himself to show that he is not only in the class of the very best, but has all the attributes to graduate valedictorian of that class.

I think we've all grown tired of matches coming to fruition when both fighters are shells of themselves. Right now, it would be speed vs. speed, skill vs. skill and youth vs. youth. If we keep waiting, the speed will become slower, the skill will fade and the youth will give way to age.

Everyone has their truths concerning Mayweather and Judah, which for now are only perceptions. Only when these two meet, will the truths truly be told. Only when these two meet, will every question be answered. For now the first and foremost question that has to be asked is, just when will these two meet? Let’s just hope soon – very soon.
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