Floyd Mayweather v Zab Judah
Floyd Mayweather v Zab Judah
Coming off a listless loss to unheralded Carlos Baldomir in January that saw him relinquish his WBC crown, Judah came out the aggressor and made critics second-guess their assertion that he did not deserve a shot at the unbeaten Mayweather (36-0, 24 KOs).
But by staggering Mayweather in the second with a powerful right and pinning his opponent to the ropes in the fourth, Judah (34-4) appeared to regain some of the form that has made him a three-time champion.
By the fifth round, Mayweather, now a four-time title winner, began to utilise his blinding speed and expert accuracy to take control. He followed up a left with a powerful right during the seventh, one of 145 power punches he landed, compared to 59 for Judah.
Blood was evident on Judah’s face by the ninth round before the former champ turned to some questionable tactics in the 10th. Judah first nailed Mayweather with a vicious low blow and followed it up with a punch behind the head.
Referee Richard Steele separated the two fighters as Mayweather staggered away, only to have his uncle and trainer Roger Mayweather take umbrage with the shot and storm into the ring to chase Judah.
Roger Mayweather was intercepted, but Judah’s corner also rushed in, setting off a wild melee that required security officials to break up. Judah was seen throwing a punch at one of Floyd Mayweather’s corner men during the fracas.
After a five-minute break, action resumed with Roger Mayweather disqualified from ringside. The final two rounds saw Floyd Mayweather taunt Judah while coasting to an easy victory in his second fight as a welterweight.
On the undercard, Juan Diaz (29-0, 14 KOs) maintained his WBA lightweight crown with a unanimous decision over Jose Miguel Cotto (27-1) of Puerto Rico.
