Zab Judah: Boxing’s Superman Takes on Lucas Matthysse this Saturday
By Delroy Hill
“Right now my job is to go out and beat Matthysse. After that, whatever doors will open, we will walk through them. I’m not lookin’ for any of these guys.” – Zab “Super” Judah
After years of fighting in a division above his ideal weight class, Zab Judah, 39-6-2, 27 KO’s, decided to move back down to the junior welterweight division.
The former undisputed welterweight champion, former IBF and WBO junior welterweight champion made his return to the ring on July 16, 2010, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The Brooklyn native faced Mexico’s Jose Armando Santa Cruz and scored an impressive third round TKO. The difference in hand speed was apparent from the start as Zab worked off a fast jab. After throwing a few combinations to start what would be the final round, Judah landed a beautiful left uppercut sending Santa Cruz to the canvas, ending the fight at 2:33 of round three.
Earlier this year, in an interview in Cardiff, Wales, Judah said: “I’ve reinvented myself. I’m looking for a title shot next year. Khan, Alexander, Bradley… those are the champions in my class and I respect them.” The then 32 year old fighter has expressed interest in fighting all three current 140 pound title holders, as well as former champion Juan Urango and unifying all of the titles in the division.
Zab “Super” Judah is scheduled to return to the Prudential Center to face Argentine knockout artist Lucas Martin Matthysse, 27-0, 25 KO’s, this Saturday in an IBF and WBO light welterweight eliminator for the number two spot. The winner will go on to face number one contender Kaizer Mabuza for the titles.
It appeared that Zab was in line for a meeting with then WBC and IBF light welterweight champion Devon Alexander. The two were seen in the ring after one of Alexander’s fights in his hometown of St. Louis. They were both claiming to be the king of the city, a move that seemed preemptive to a clash between the pair.
He also engaged in a war of words on Twitter with WBA champion Amir Khan. But after Judah’s impressive knock of Santa Cruz, he found it difficult to land a fight with any of the 140 pound champions.
I had an opportunity to ask Zab about it during a conference call for his upcoming bout with Matthysse. His response was “Right now my job is to go out and beat Matthysse. After that, whatever doors will open, we will walk through them. I’m not lookin’ for any of these guys.” With confidence the Brooklynite explained “I feel great. I feel good. November 6th will be a great night. We tried Devon, Timothy, and nobody accepted. I want to solidify my spot in history and go down as one of the best pound for pound fighters in history.”
One advantage Zab has over the younger champions in his weight class, he has experience fighting and takes the punches of men much bigger than himself. I asked how he thought that experience helped or hurt his career. “Being in with the best, and bigger guys can never hurt you. It will just give you more of an advantage. Being in with (Floyd) Mayweather, power like (Miguel) Cotto… I’ve fought as high as 154 with Ryan Davis. It definitely helps.” With a laugh Zab told me “I’m very excited and ready for November 6th.”
People tend to question former champions when they are on the comeback, and sometimes rightfully so. Roy Jones, JR., is a perfect example. But to Zab’s credit, he seems to be more focused than ever before, and he looks very good in training. He has added new twists to his training regimen, like running mountains, to help improve his conditioning and endurance. It’s no secret that Judah has been criticized over his career for being a front runner, but he looks and sounds prepared to go the distance. He could have taken an easier fight, like the proposed October 2nd bout with Michael “Cold Blood” Clark.
When asked about why he took on a fighter like Matthysse, Zab responded, “No disrespect to Michael Clark, but this is a great opportunity for me. To be the best you gotta beat the best.” He also offered his thoughts on Lucas Matthysse, “He’s young, he’s got power. Of course we don’t take him lightly. My radar is 100% locked in on him. We are not lookin’ past him at all.”
My next question for Zab was how he planned to defeat Matthysse. “Muhammad Ali told you best. A puncher can never beat a boxer. November 6th you’ll see a boxing clinic and that’s it,” he explained with confidence. “You will see some tricks. You know I came up under the hands of Pernell Whitaker. I’ll pull some pages out that book.”
Manager Kathy Duva was also brimming with the same confidence. She added, “He’s the only real super star in the division. Lots of good fighters, but he’s the only star. They’ve tried to deny him, but now is his time.” Zab followed her lead, stating that: “These promoters wanna play dodge ball with their fighters… no way! We comin’ for you baby!”
If Zab is really as focused as he sounds, he could change the landscape of the 140 pound division very soon. Even at 33, he still has world class speed. Now that he’s back at 140, he’s already shown the destructive power that helped make him a champion and star. His name alone can sell a good number of tickets, so a fight between Super Judah and any one of the 140 pound titlist should make good money. He’s very marketable and charismatic, so at this point his up side is looking pretty good.
I expect Zab to get past the tough Matthysse. His speed will be too much for the Argentine to handle, and he will get caught. From there, he would face Mabuza, likely by the spring. The South African is not the toughest nut to crack. The closest thing he’s seen in the ring to Zab Judah is a somewhat faded Kendall Holt, coming off a loss to WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley.
I’d say the future looks bright for Super Judah.