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Zab Judah's long-awaited return to the boxing ring was a successful one, as the former welterweight champion defeated Jorge Luis Munguia by TKO in the second round on Saturday.
This was a bout essentially designed to make Judah look good and shake off any potential ring rust, so the mission was accomplished.
Judah last fought in December 2013 when he lost to Paulie Malignaggi by unanimous decision. It marked his third loss in four fights, casting doubt on his ability to be a top welterweight at the age of 36.
More than three years later, time didn't seem to be on Judah's side, yet he put together the perfect storm of circumstances to get back on the winning track.
Yet there has never been any doubt in Judah's mind that he would be able to regain the form that once made him the undisputed welterweight champion.
Here's what Judah told ESPN.com's Dan Rafael about keeping his body in top shape for when an opportunity came his way:
I have a lot left, and even though I've been off, I've been through numerous training camps. I sparred with [Floyd] Mayweather when he was getting ready for the [Manny] Pacquiao fight [in 2015]. I got in tremendous shape.
A couple of fights fell through because of different difficulties, but I was always prepared, always in great shape. Still to this day, I've never been as heavy as 160 or 165. I have 20 years in the game, and I'm still at 140 pounds. I feel like I am a very disciplined fighter.
As for what this win means for Judah moving forward, that's a more complicated issue. He did need a win to turn around his previous losing stretch, but Munguia is not the kind of fighter to provide an accurate litmus test.
Munguia is a 28-year-old fighter who now has a pedestrian 12-8 career record and has lost five consecutive fights and seven of his last nine overall.
This wasn't a fight to build up Judah for a welterweight title shot—at least, it shouldn't be—but he can use this win as a springboard for another fight later this year that can lead to bigger things for him down the road.
Zab Judah makes his long-awaited return to the boxing ring on Saturday against Jorge Luis Munguia after a three-year absence from the sport.
Thirty-nine-year-old Judah had a rough go of things at the end of his previous run. He lost three of his previous four fights, including a unanimous decision to Paul Malignaggi in December 2013 that led to his long sabbatical.
Judah has tried to get back in the ring previously, notably in 2015, when his bout with Hevinson Herrera was canceled following an altercation between the two fighters at the weigh-in, but such a long layoff presents many challenges for an athlete his age.
| Date | Live Stream | Start Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, Jan. 21 | FightTyme.com | 4:30 p.m. |
Due to the amount of time Judah has been off, it's fair to think there will be some ring rust when he steps through the curtain at the Sun National Bank Center in New Jersey on Saturday.
If you listen to Judah talk leading up to the bout against Munguia, he's been able to keep himself in top physical shape, per ESPN.com's Dan Rafael:
I sparred with [Floyd] Mayweather when he was getting ready for the [Manny] Pacquiao fight [in 2015]. I got in tremendous shape.
A couple of fights fell through because of different difficulties, but I was always prepared, always in great shape. Still to this day, I've never been as heavy as 160 or 165. I have 20 years in the game, and I'm still at 140 pounds. I feel like I am a very disciplined fighter.
Despite Judah remaining at 140 pounds, that weight hasn't been kind to him lately. He lost to Amir Khan and Danny Garcia in light-welterweight bouts, while his match against Malignaggi was at welterweight.
In addition to staying in great shape, Judah told Rafael there is another reason for his return to the ring.
"The motivating factor is I want to put a stamp on my career and be a [seven]-time champion," Judah said.
Judah is taking on the right opponent to kickstart his comeback. Munguia is a journeyman with a 12-7 career record. The 28-year-old has lost four consecutive fights and six of his last eight overall, so he's desperate to right the ship against a known commodity.
Despite Judah's recent struggles, he is no stranger to blocking out the past. He had a four-fight winless streak from January 2006-June 2007 before defeating Edwin Vasquez. That streak was against elite competition, including Mayweather and Miguel Cotto.
This fight was designed for Judah to win and prove to other promoters he's got the skill to compete at a high level and draw enough to get back on major networks or possibly regular pay-per-view.
A loss in this spot would essentially spell the end of Judah's relevance in the sport, so he better not waste this moment.
Prediction: Judah wins by sixth-round TKO
It is apparent Zab Judah (42-9) should retire from boxing. He lost a unanimous decision on Saturday night in what was billed as a Battle for Brooklyn with Paulie Malignaggi (33-5). Malignaggi used an accurate jab and steady body work to outwork Judah for most of the fight.
The iconic hip-hop lyric from KRS-One's classic "The Bridge is Over" says "Brooklyn keeps on taking it." On this night, only one of the fighters really seemed to want it.
The judges scored the fight as follows: 116-111, 117-110 (two judges) all for Malignaggi.
Judah did drop Malignaggi in the second round, but tangled feet were as responsible for the fall as the punch that landed. Malignaggi was more annoyed by the event than he was hurt.
He quickly rose to his feet and resumed his very solid game plan of feints, jabs and body punching. For nearly the entire fight, Judah looked tentative and disinterested. In a fight that was supposed to be filled with so much pride and passion, Judah fought the bout like a sparring session.
At 36 years old, it would seem to be pointless for him to continue his career. Were he fighting someone with more power, Judah probably would have been stopped. After the bout was over, he looked emotionally defeated and like a man who simply didn't have the fire or willingness to perform at the level he once did.
Malignaggi looked spry, aggressive and hungry to continue his career at a high level. Following up a solid performance against Adrien Broner, Malignaggi has shown he can still put on an impressive display of boxing with his fast hands and high in-ring IQ.
He has said he wants a rematch with Broner, but the WBA champion may not see any benefit in facing Malignaggi again. Even if The Problem doesn't want to jump back in the ring with Malignaggi, the latter has still created opportunities for himself.
He stated in the post-fight interview with Showtime's Jim Gray that world-renowned manager and adviser Al Haymon promised him big fights if he beat Judah. Malignaggi did just that. We must now wait to see what's next for him.
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Titles don't matter nearly as much in boxing as they used to or still should. More belts are thrown around in the sport than most can keep track of. In fact, Saturday night's Showtime main event pitting Zab Judah against Paulie "The Magic Man" Malignaggi is for the vacant NABF welterweight title.
This isn't a world championship, and quite honestly, it would be hard to parlay Judah or Malignaggi off as legitimate threats to the lineal titles at 140 or 147 pounds. At the end of the day, the consensus champion in each weight class is all that matters to most fans.
With that established, what makes Judah vs. Malignaggi intriguing? Here are five reasons for boxing fans to watch the bout.
1. The Undercard
Judah vs. Malignaggi will be preceded by three world championship bouts. Erislandy Lara will take on Austin Trout for the vacant WBA light middleweight title. IBF welterweight champion Devon Alexander will defend his title against Shawn Porter. WBA super middleweight champion Sakio Bika will face Anthony Dirrell.
Those are three potentially entertaining championship fights, which make this card one of the strongest of the year. If you sit down to watch the first three, you may as well watch the main event—even if you're not overly interested.
2. Brooklyn Bragging Rights
On Saturday night, Brooklyn's own Judah and Malignaggi are squaring off in the Barclays Center. When two proud fighters from the same region clash, it is always a big deal. When the fight takes place in the biggest and newest arena in the area, it becomes an even bigger deal.
The Barclays Center has quickly become a top-notch venue for boxing. Judah made the Brooklyn faithful proud by displaying great heart and effort in his battle with Danny Garcia there back in April. This bout and card will add to the growing boxing history in the building.
3. Connecting the Boxing Dots of the Era
Judah and Malignaggi have been in the ring with a who's who of the era at 140 and 147 pounds. Yet, they have never faced each other. When fans think back to past eras to rank fighters, it is always good to have a head-to-head battle to reference when determining who had the superior career.
This bout will serve as some level of proof as to who was the better fighter.
4. Could the Winner Get Another Title Shot?
Unfortunately, the answer to that question is yes. I love Judah and Malignaggi, but neither of them is a legit contender. Yet, a win could put Malignaggi in position to challenge Adrien Broner in a rematch. Malignaggi was competitive in his bout with "The Problem" in June.
Broner is probably not interested in a rematch with Malignaggi, but with a win over Judah, The Magic Man could reasonably pursue it.
Judah has been a perennial contender for the last 10-plus years. Beating Malignaggi won't vault him to the head of anyone's top-10 list, but it would be a high-profile victory on a major card.
5. The End of a Career
The loser of this fight has to seriously ask himself if continuing his career makes any sense. Judah is 36 and clearly on the downside of his run.
Malignaggi is just 33, but his power limitations make big wins a long shot. He is an outstanding analyst for Showtime and could excel in that role moving forward. A loss could lead to a retirement speech after the official decision is read.
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The fight was billed as the "Battle of Brooklyn," with the bragging rights of an entire borough on the line, and quite possibly, the careers of both fighters.
In the end, it was the "Magic Man" who would prevail.
Paulie Malignaggi (33-5, 7 KO) used his jab and quickness to thoroughly outbox fellow Brooklynite Zab Judah (42-9, 29 KO) over 12 mostly one-sided rounds Saturday night at the Barclays Center.
Scores were 116-111, 117-110 and 117-110.
From the outset, it was clear that Malignaggi—of Bensonhurst—would be the more active fighter. Judah—representing Brownsville—seemed reluctant to let his hands go, and he was consistently beaten to the punch by his faster foe.
Judah's lone moment in the fight came in the second round, when he connected on a left hand, aided by tangled legs, that sent an incensed Malignaggi to the canvas. He vehemently protested the ruling but to no avail.
From that point on, Judah appeared to be fighting in reverse, and Malignaggi imposed his will, using his speed and jab to completely dominate the contest.
In the co-featured bout of the evening, Shawn Porter (23-0-1, 14 KO) upset Devon Alexander (25-2, 14 KO), winning a unanimous decision and capturing the IBF Welterweight Championship.
Scores were 115-112, 116-112 and 116-112.
Porter came out in the early rounds and swarmed the former champion. He didn't allow him to get set and control the distance like he's accustomed to doing.
Much of the fight was spent at close-quarters, with both fighters mauling and Porter getting the better of the action inside. Alexander wasn't nearly as sharp as usual, and he was stunned several times early in the fight.
In earlier action, Erislandy Lara (19-1-2, 12 KO) successfully defended his Interim WBA Junior Middleweight Championship, putting on a boxing clinic and winning a wide unanimous decision over former champion Austin Trout (26-2, 14 KO).
Scores were 118-109, 117-110 and 117-110.
After the fight, Lara was clear about who he wants next.
"I did what Canelo could not do. I dominated Trout and I dropped him. Now we gotta make the fight everyone wants to see. Which is me against Canelo," Lara said.
In the opening bout of the evening, Sakio Bika (32-5-3, 21 KO) retained his WBC Super Middleweight Championship with a sloppy, and difficult to score split-draw against Anthony Dirrell (26-0-1, 22 KO).
Bika was the more active fighter throughout, but was dropped in the fifth round and had a point taken for a borderline low-blow in the 11th round which wound up being the difference between a draw and a win.
All quotes were obtained first-hand.
Two of Brooklyn's finest pugilists will square off at the Barclays Center on Saturday night when Paulie Malignaggi (32-5, 7 KO) takes on veteran Zab Judah (42-8, 29 KO). While no titles are on the line, plenty of pride and momentum will be at stake when both native sons fight in front of a home crowd.
Both fighters come into the bout in desperate need of a victory. Malignaggi suffered just the fifth defeat of his career in his last trip out, dropping a split decision to Adrien Broner. At 36 years old, Judah is looking at the downside of his career. He has lost two of his last three.
Here's a look at when and where to catch all the action along with a last-minute preview of the action.
When: Saturday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. ET
Where: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
TV: Showtime
Odds: Zab Judah -155, Paulie Malignaggi +125 (via Bovada)
Keys for Judah
Judah might not be what he once was, but he's still a serious threat to anyone who isn't in the upper tier of the welterweight division. That includes Malignaggi, who, at 33, isn't a spring chicken himself.
Judah's most apparent advantage in this bout comes in the power category. While Malignaggi has just seven knockouts in his career, Judah has 29 and can still make opponents feel his power. This means that he can be willing to exchange a bit more than usual because Malignaggi is unlikely to turn around the fight with one blow.
That doesn't mean that Judah can get sloppy, though. Throughout his career, he's been plagued by uneven performances. The last time out, a slow start cost him a shot at beating Danny Garcia.
There's a good chance that this one goes to the cards, so Judah can't afford to take many rounds off.
Keys for Malignaggi
As previously mentioned, Malignaggi doesn't have a whole lot to offer in the power department. He's a pure boxer who makes up for a lack of punching power with a ton of heart and technique.
He proved how far his toughness can take him in his most recent bout with Broner. Despite being a heavy underdog status and facing an opponent who had the advantage in skills, Malignaggi did enough to battle Broner to a split decision. He'll need a similar effort here to balance out Judah's power advantage.
With very little chance of a knockout victory, Malignaggi will need to pick his spots, stay on the outside and try to outpoint Judah by being crisper with his combinations and footwork.
Prediction
Judah's last two losses have come at the hands of Danny Garcia and Amir Khan. Those fighters have far more power and offensive prowess than Malignaggi, so it's easy to see why Judah is a slight favorite here.
However, Malignaggi's display against Broner was impressive—especially in the volume of punches he was able to throw over the course of the 12-round fight:
Expect this one to be an instant classic with plenty of exchanges to go around, but Malignaggi's ability to stay busy will give him the edge in a decision.
Malignaggi by Unanimous Decision
Regionally speaking, the Zab "Super" Judah (42-8, 29 KO) vs. Paulie "The Magic Man" Malignaggi (32-5, 7 KO) bout is important. Two of Brooklyn's most successful and proud former champions will do battle in the city's newest and most celebrated venue.
The Barclays Center has quickly become one of the premier sites for boxing events.
Aside from the BK relevance, there isn't a ton of weight being given to this fight from a title standpoint. It is for the vacant NABF welterweight title, but that is clearly a strap far beneath the level both fighters have reached at some point in their careers.
Both men are coming off of losses in their last bouts. Judah made a good account of himself against talented and undefeated WBC and WBA light welterweight champion, Danny Garcia.
Malignaggi lost his WBA welterweight title to Adrien Broner, but he gave him one of—if not the—toughest bouts of The Problem's career. Even with decent performances, it is hard to imagine either man seriously challenging any of the best fighters in their weight region.
Nonetheless, this is a fight on Showtime between two very recognizable names, fighting in their hometown. In addition to that, it happens to be the main event on a ridiculously strong card. Before Malignaggi and Judah clash, IBF welterweight champion, Devon Alexander, will defend his title against undefeated prospect, Shawn "Showtime" Porter.
Erislandy Lara will take on Austin "No Doubt" Trout for the vacant WBA light middleweight title, and WBC super middleweight champion, Sakio Bika, will defend his title against Anthony Dirrell.
Whether you buy into Judah-Malignaggi or not, it is hard to ignore the strength of this card. From top to bottom, it is one of the strongest of the year. Here's how you can watch the action.
When: Saturday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. ET
Where: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
TV: Showtime
The Book on Judah and Malignaggi
The 2nd Half
After beginning his career as a can't-miss prospect and capturing his first world title when he was just 22 years old, Judah's career was dealt a blow. Kostya Tszyu famously stopped him with a wicked combination that left Judah mentally willing to continue but with a pair of uncooperative legs.
Tszyu took Judah's IBF light welterweight title on that night at the MGM Grand in Nov. 2001. Judah would fight just twice over the next two years. Though he would win another world title in 2003 and four more total, he was never quite the same.
Before the loss to Tszyu, Judah seemed destined for all-time greatness. The career he's had has been solid but not quite on the level most expected. If you're looking at a guy who won a total of five world titles, but still carries a title of underachiever, it gives an idea of just how talented Judah was in his heyday.
That said, he's still had moments over the last seven or eight years that remind us he still has a little left in the tank. At 36 years old, Judah can still be competitive with most 140-147 pound fighters, but beating them is something he's had a hard time doing.
In 2006, Judah was beating Floyd Mayweather Jr. for the first four rounds. Mayweather made a mid-fight adjustment, Judah didn't. An in-ring brawl nearly occurred in the middle rounds, and in the end, Judah was dismantled down the stretch.
Against Garcia, Judah fought very well in the second half of the fight, but he was rocked and battered early. Though he showed tremendous heart, he didn't earn the decision.
Judah wants respect. You can hear it in his voice when he talks about past fights, future bouts, etc. He knows how great the expectations for him were. To an extent, it sounds as if he wishes a few things in his career had gone differently.
Over the years, he's matured in the ring and outside of it. He was once known as hothead and loose cannon, but one interview or observation of his presence on social media is proof he's not that guy anymore—if he ever was.
In this the second half of his career, can the former champion muster up the types of performances that send him out of the sport with the respect and honor he craves?
A More Respectful Opponent
Chances are, we won't see the same side of Malignaggi in this fight that we saw during the hype and post-fight events of the Broner bout. Things got really personal between the two, and Malignaggi didn't take kindly to Broner's sophomoric mind games.
The Showtime analyst/boxer lost his cool a bit. It reminded me of the movie No Country for Old Men. Malignaggi simply couldn't understand or relate to a fighter like Broner, who seemingly had no respect for certain unwritten rules of the pre-fight hype game.
Against a veteran like Judah, the 33-year-old won't have to worry about a repeat. These two men have been nothing but respectful to each other during the hype.
Though this bout won't have title implications, it will be straight boxing, and that's something purists may appreciate.
What the Numbers Say
7
In 37 professional fights, Malignaggi has stopped just seven opponents in his career. When you think about the level of success he's had, (two-time world champion and 32 professional wins against top-level competition), the Magic Man has had a noteworthy stay as a professional.
It makes you wonder what could he have done with just a little more pop.
5-8
Judah has faced 12 current or past world champions in his career, his record is 5-8 in those bouts (he split two fights with Cory Spinks). His losses have come to the likes of Mayweather, Amir Khan, Joshua Clottey, Miguel Cotto, Carlos Baldomir, Spinks and Tszyu.
The five wins have come against lesser known champions like Junior Witter, Rafael Pineda and Terron Millett. This type of record is what lends credence to the concept that Judah isn't a big-fight performer.
Title Bout Championship Boxing Simulations
After having the bout simulated 100 times, Pisd's Title Bout Championship Boxing spit out the following statistics:
Judah won 77 of the 100 bouts, with 32 coming by KO.
Malignaggi took 17, with 12 wins coming by way of stoppage. The other six simulations ended in a draw.
Prediction
As crafty as Malignaggi is, Judah may still have a quickness advantage over him. Judah was able to get off quicker than Garcia in the late rounds of their fight. That was impressive considering his age and the punishment he'd taken in the earlier rounds.
Malignaggi nearly pitty-patted his way to a decision win over Broner because he was able to show the young star a few looks he hadn't seen. The Magic Man won't have an experience, power or speed advantage over Judah.
At the end of the night, Judah will take the mythical crown as the King of Brooklyn with a unanimous decision victory.
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The Danny Garcia-Zab Judah bout had most of the elements fans look for in a championship fight. There was bad blood during the buildup, and the in-ring action didn't disappoint.
The Barclays Center crowd in Brooklyn was electric. Though Garcia retained his WBA and WBC light welterweight titles, both fighters had their moments.
At the end of the night, Judah and Garcia looked like they had been in an epic tussle. Thankfully, each man was respectful towards one another, and the extra security in the building was not needed.
It didn't look like it would be much of a fight midway through, but Judah's heart, resolve and the energy he drew from the Brooklyn faithful made it a fight.
When looking at the other major bouts that have taken place this year, Judah-Garcia fits in with the best of them. Through four months of fights, we have seen three other fights that should be considered good-to-great fights.
The Lamont Peterson-Kendall Holt clash on Feb. 22 was the first to take place. Peterson stopped the talented, but less-than-durable Holt in the eighth round.
That fight featured tons of action, as is usually the case with Peterson and Holt fights. In the end, Peterson was too tough for Holt, though.
Coincidentally, Garcia is now set to take on the winner of the Peterson-Lucas Matthysse bout scheduled for May 18. No matter who wins that fight, if the two winners meet in 2013, we may have another fight to add to this list.
The second great fight of the year took place on March 16. WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley and Ruslan Provodnikov had a knockdown drag-out war at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.
Bradley won the unanimous decision, but it didn't come without some very tense moments. Provodnikov rocked Bradley on more than one occasion, and he dropped the champion in the 12th round.
Bradley out-boxed the challenger and deserved the decision, but this was a classic example of how a boxer and puncher can come together to make a special fight.
The last great fight of the year thus far took place just two weeks after Bradley-Provodnikov.
Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado had their much-anticipated rematch on March 30 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Their first fight was the runner-up for Ring Magazine Fight of the Year in 2012. The rematch was nearly as good.
Both men rocked each other throughout. Ultimately, Alvarado's adjustments on offense and defense led to a unanimous decision victory.
You can bet on seeing at least a trilogy between these two. I'm not sure if it'll happen in 2013, but a third fight seems destined to become another instant classic.
Where exactly does Judah-Garcia rank with these fights? I'd say third, just ahead of Peterson-Holt, but behind Alvarado-Rios and Bradley-Provodnikov.
The latter would be my pick as best fight of the year so far. But that takes nothing away from the other bouts. Boxing fans have been treated to very good fights through a third of the year.
Here's to hoping the remaining eight months continues this trend.
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Zab Judah didn't defeat Danny Garcia on Saturday night, but he did prove many of his critics wrong. The fight seemed to be headed down an all too familiar path for Judah during the middle rounds.
He was rocked badly on two occasions and dropped in the eighth round. Instead of folding, as he has in the past, Judah persevered and had some good moments late.
He won the last three rounds, and he rocked Garcia in the 10th. A rematch would be interesting, but Garcia already has a fight set up to face the winner of Lamont Peterson and Lucas Matthysse.
As for Judah, he definitely showed enough in this performance to warrant another major fight. Perhaps he could face the loser of the Peterson-Matthysse clash to possibly setup a rematch with Garcia.
No immediate plans were discussed, but Judah definitively said he would continue to fight.
For a 35-year-old fighter, losses almost always bring the question of whether the latest defeat should be the swan song.
This shouldn't be the end for Zab. I've seen him win spectacularly, but, in many ways, I've never seen him look better than he did on Saturday night.
Garcia deserved the decision, as his best moments outweighed Judah's. But Judah exorcised some demons with this performance. When the going got tough, Judah didn't quit.
He's been called a four-round fighter. No one could call him that on Saturday. Instead of shining early, which has been the case in his career, Judah did his best work in the championship rounds.
The Brooklyn native has always had the goods physically. Though he isn't quite as gifted as he once was, he's still quick and powerful enough to do damage.
Physical talent was never the issue with Zab, though. It has always been about his mentality. He has seemingly gone through a transformation, even though he seemed to revert at times during the pre-fight hype.
On Saturday night, Judah proved he had matured during and after the fight. The buildup for this fight had been filled with bad blood and confrontations. But once it was all over, there was nothing but respect.
After this performance, that's exactly what Judah deserves.
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