Is Zab Judah at the End of the Line?
Every dog has his day. At the twilight of his career, Zab Judah has all but come full circle. In the latest instalment of his career, he has returned to his old promotion company, Many Events, but is not just another fighter to fill the roster. In this case he’ll return as a partner, introducing Super Judah Productions.
Aligning with Main Events may prove a wise career choice—after all, it’s with them that he’s had arguably the most success as a prizefighter. The company led him to his first belt in 2000, the IBF Junior Welterweight title, which he lost to Kostya Tszyu a year later. Tszyu ruptured an otherwise blemish-free career, knocking Judah out in the 2nd round, and ultimately sealing his departure from Main Events.
At the welterweight level, Judah struck new success in winning the undisputed title by knocking out Cory Spinks. But true to the inconsistency that has come to define his career, he lost it only two fights later to underdog Carlos Baldomir.
In his next fight he lost his last remaining title, the IBF, to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a match remembered for its controversy. Judah lowed-blowed Mayweather in the tenth in a bid for time and survival, which initiated a full-ring brawl between both corners.
First Roger, Floyd’s father, stormed into the ring, followed by Yoel Judah, Zab’s father, both of whom were working in the corners of their prodigies. Instead of declaring this a disqualification, the referee resumed and Judah lost a decision. He was also judged to pay a fine of $250,000.
Some five years forward into the present, he looks to once again establish dominance on Friday, challenging Armando Santa Cruz on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights. The fight is a Jr. welterweight match, meaning he’ll be able to campaign at his natural weight (a good thing for fighters). A win would put him in good position to challenge others in the division, which is currently ripe with talent and opportunity.
And it wouldn’t just be Judah who could prosper. Other young fighters would benefit greatly from defeating someone with the brand and credit of “Super Judah.”
Still, he has a lot to prove. He’s been stopped early twice since Mayweather, causing many to think his best days are over. And they wouldn’t be wrong: he’ll never be able to recapture the glory and explosion in the ring that comes with youth. But he may be able to do it one better if he fights intelligently and outsmarts his opposition.
At the same time, there are doubts about Judah’s interest and undivided focus in his own comeback—he recently announced that he would be teaming up with G3 Jewelry Inc., in the promotion of the business’s first edition of high-end wrist watches. Regarding the opportunity, Judah stated: “This is an exciting time in my career for me. The first time I saw the 'Mile High' watch I knew I wanted to be a part of the movement G3 is creating. The window of opportunity between my brand and G3 will be limitless.”
The words come in the wake of LeBron James’s recent announcement that he will be joining the Miami Heat, a week-long spectacle that undoubtedly registered him as the biggest sports’ brand in the world.
While personal brand is important, it is obvious that what Judah should really be considering here is his own physical capacity to win fights. That is, unless he’s already secretly given up on that, and conceded to more or less extending his career chiefly in the realm of business. If that is what is necessary at this point, then he can’t properly be faulted for having the instinct to pick up on it. After all, is that just what LeBron James has been doing?
Tags: