Danny Garcia Defeats Zab Judah Via Unanimous Decision
Apr 27, 2013
Danny Garcia won a thrilling unanimous decision over Zab Judah at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Saturday night. The official judges scored the fight 115-112, 114-112 and 116-111, per BoxRec.com, to retain the WBA and WBC junior welterweight titles.
Garcia dominated the middle rounds, continuing to show why he deserves more credit than he receives as one of the sport's best.
The champion dazed Judah on two occasions and floored him in the eighth. But this was a case of two different fights in one, to a degree.
Judah seemed to hurt Garcia in the Rounds 10 and 11 and controlled the late action. The result suggests a rematch may be in order. The bad blood sold the first fight, but the action would sell the rematch.
Throughout the pre-fight hype, Judah and the Garcia camp engaged in a war or words and even nearly came to blows on a few occasions (links contain explicit language). Thankfully, all the fighting took place in the ring on Saturday night.
The two camps were civil and respectful after the fight. Even Judah and Garcia's controversial father, Angel Garcia, spoke once the action was done.
Garcia's game plan of varying his attack early befuddled Judah, but ultimately the 35-year-old veteran made some adjustments. Judah's speed and guile began to turn the tables a bit. Garcia's chin, another one of his underrated qualities, was apparent late.
Judah landed some hard shots that would have dropped lesser men. He was really coming on in the championship rounds, but he simply ran out of time. Had this been an old-school 15-round fight, perhaps the story may have been a little different.
Though Judah didn't officially get the victory in this fight, he did dispel a few of the knocks on him during his career.
Many have called Judah a four-round fighter. Critics have said he quits in the ring. None of those deficiencies were apparent in the title fight Saturday night. He could have easily folded in the middle rounds, but he didn't.
Garcia was pounding him with hard shots. Judah stumbled around the ring almost like he did when he was stopped by Kostya Tszyu in 2001. But he showed resolve that deserves recognition.
Garcia is now set to face the winner of the Lamont Peterson vs. Lucas Matthysse bout on May 18. When asked during the Showtime telecast who he thought would win that bout, Garcia said Peterson.
Perhaps the bulletin-board material has already begun for that one. That would indeed be a great fight, but I'm not sure it would be more entertaining than seeing these two clash again.
Danny Garcia vs. Zab Judah: Fight Time, Date, Live Stream Replay, TV Info, More
Apr 26, 2013
WBA and WBC light welterweight champion Danny "Swift" Garcia (25-0, 16 KO) will finally defend his titles against Zab "Super" Judah (42-7, 29 KO) on Saturday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
To say there is friction between these two fighters is like calling the Grand Canyon a small crevice. There have been numerous confrontations, shouting matches, etc. at pre-fight events.
Arena security may earn their money separating the two camps in this one, no matter what the outcome is. You can feel the tension in this promo through your monitors or displays on your mobile devices.
The fight was originally scheduled for February, but an injury to the champion forced a postponement. Garcia will be defending his title for the third time. Judah is in search of his fifth world title in his successful, yet disappointing career.
The crowd should be on his side, though. He was born and raised in New York's most populous borough. Garcia is a Philadelphia fighter so the natural East coast rivalry exists in this matchup as well.
Beyond the clash of skills from two accomplished fighters and the bad blood, the crowd dynamic should make for a fun fight environment.
Unless you have a ticket to the festivities, here's how you can watch:
The fight is in Brooklyn, so I couldn't help but quote one of the boroughs greatest MCs, the Notorious B.I.G.
You saw the fracas that erupted in the press conference that was featured in the Sho Sports promo, but the two sides haven't stopped jawing and nearly coming to blows since.
Much of this is fueled by the mouth of Angel Garcia, Danny's father. The elder Garcia has drawn the ire of Danny's opponents in the past.
It seemed to get under Khan's skin, possibly even taking him out of his game plan. It seems to be a winning formula for the Garcias, as Danny admitted in the Sho Sports video, "he talks the talk and I back it up."
Apparently, Judah is not just letting the barbs Angel shot his way roll off his back.
On Wednesday, Michael Woods of ESPN reported that Judah crashed a Garcia promotional event at Modell Sporting Goods, which is across the street from the Barclays Center.
Check out the skirmish here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyKwHJmWTEQ
We've all known a guy in high school, college or some other environment where juveniles rule, whose aggression is heightened when there is a crowd.
In typical loud mouth fashion, Angel gets borderline "out of control" when he's sure the big men around him won't allow anyone from Zab's camp to get in striking distance.
Can't we all just wait until Saturday to fight?
True enough, Zab seemingly came to the event looking for a confrontation. When the elder Garcia is involved, that's never too hard to find.
Woods of ESPN was still on the case later in the day. He reported that the elder Garcia told NYFightBlog that Judah actually spat at the Garcias' vehicle and slammed his hands on the hood.
What a mess.
Needless to say, the final press conferences were...interesting. With relations so bad, each side had to occupy the room separately.
Check out this spirited rant from Judah. I was waiting on Mike Gundy to come out and tell us he was 40, or for Allen Iverson to talk about practice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49kNZqCJ3oA
The Book on Garcia
Team Garcia
Though it pains me to say it, Angel has actually helped Danny's career. Without his father serving as the Paul Heyman to his Brock Lesnar, Garcia would be a successful, but bland fighter.
We all know in boxing, bland never gets you the paydays and back-to-back spots as the featured fighter at the Barclays Center.
Garcia has his father to thank for this just as much as his fists and instincts. He appears to be nothing spectacular in the ring, but he just keeps winning. Combine that with Angel's drama and you have a fighter on the cusp of becoming a household name.
In all honesty, the only truly elite talent at light welterweight he's faced is Amir Khan. But we've all seen the Brit's chin betray him against Garcia and others.
Two wins over a washed-up Erik Morales and a split-decision over talented, but enigmatic Kendall Holt are the highlights of Garcia's career.
Even if he defeats Judah, once you remove the emotion from the situation, it won't prove a whole lot.
Judah has routinely slipped up in these types of situations his whole career. Garcia isn't exactly in a no-win situation, but the floor is lower than the ceiling is high.
If he beats Judah, fans will say: "same old Zab, the four-round fighter." If Judah wins, some will say: "wow, I can't believe he lost to a 35-year-old Zab Judah."
Garcia needs to win this fight to back up his dad's wolf tickets, but also to stay on track for the type of fight that will truly put him over as one of the sport's best.
In the Ring
Garcia's best attributes are his heart, poise and instincts. He isn't overwhelmingly quick or powerful, though he does have decent KO power.
His left hook is his most dangerous punch. That is the shot that put Khan on dream street and spun Morales around like a top in their second meeting.
Check out the highlights:
Garcia can be taken advantage of by fighters with fast hands and good feet. Khan was dominating him before he got caught.
As Judah indicated during one of the skirmishes, Garcia stands flat-footed a lot. If Judah can maintain movement, he could give Garcia a lot of problems.
The Book on Judah
Last Chance to Win the Big One
Judah had been known as a bit of a hot head earlier in his career. In recent years, he has seemingly calmed and matured. Apparently, the father of his opponent has brought the beast in Judah back.
He is charged for this fight. Much of it is because of the trash talk from Angel, but the other side is likely associated with the sheer urgency of the situation.
Judah probably won't get another shot at a major title or big payday if he fails. That is a lot to grasp for a man that has lived boxing since 1996.
Beyond the desire to shut the elder Garcia's mouth, Judah is fighting for his livelihood. Can he finally step up and win a huge fight?
In the Ring
Judah has speed, power and excellent boxing instincts, but there has always been something missing.
More specifically, Zab struggles with control of his emotions and stamina. At times, I think the two go hand-in-hand for him.
Zab out-boxed Floyd Mayweather for the first four rounds in April 2006. Mayweather made a few adjustments and the wheels came off for Judah.
He hit Mayweather low and that kicked off a series of events that escalated into a brawl. Take a look at rounds nine and 10 here, the commotion starts at the end of the 10th.
Routinely, Zab gets gassed, loses his cool and results to fouling or looking for a way out of the fight. If he can find it within himself to stay on course, he can beat Garcia.
But for Zab, that is a big "if."
Prediction
I have an inkling to pick Zab in this fight, but his track record makes me nervous. The lack of emotional control he has exhibited in the buildup for this fight downright frightens me.
Expect him to do well early, but at some point, he will lose focus and that will open the door for the champion. He will win a decision that sees him win the last four rounds, or stop Judah late.
On Saturday, April 27, Danny "Swift" Garcia (25-0, 16 KOs) will defend his WBA and WBC welterweight titles against Zab "Super" Judah (42-7, 29 KOs) live from the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn, N...
Zab Judah Calls Out Danny Garcia for Postponing Welterweight Title Fight
Jan 28, 2013
Well that didn’t take long.
Zab Judah has taken to Twitter and called out Danny Garcia after the champion pulled out of their Feb. 9 welterweight title fight.
Garcia pulled out due to a “rib injury,” he told ESPN’s Dan Rafael:
"I didn't even really feel it until we were done. But then I felt pain in my side and then when I was cooling down I couldn't raise my hands over my head. I had a real sharp pain and I couldn't really breathe. I went to the doctor and had an X-ray, and the doctor said I have a bruised rib, a wall contusion."
The unified WBA/WBC welterweight titlist apparently hurt his rib while training and hasn’t been able to work through the pain. As a result, the fight has been moved back to April 27.
A simple rescheduling turned into a little more once Judah took to Twitter on Sunday evening. The challenger colorfully accused Garcia of “ducking” him by faking the rib injury (Warning: NSFW language in this Tweet) in order to get out of the match.
He didn’t end there.
Judah took a shot at Rafael, too, after the ESPN boxing writer gave his opinion on Garcia’s decision to push things back (via Twitter):
I love @superjudah but I'm just saying injuries happen, fights ppd all the time. @dannyswift isnt ducking. If he was wouldnt resked fight.
Whatever the motivation for Garcia to postpone the fight, Rafael makes a good point. If he didn’t want to fight Judah because he is intimidated, he wouldn’t have rescheduled the fight so quickly.
There is little reason to move a fight back two months and go through the rescheduling hassle if there isn’t a real problem.
From the way it sounds, Garcia is in too much pain to continue to prepare for the fight. He could do it, but he wouldn’t be anywhere near ready to defend his title by Feb. 9. The move was the right one, no matter how it’s perceived by the challenger.
One thing is certain from all of this: When these two finally do step in the ring on April 27, there will be two very motivated competitors slugging it out for the title.
Danny Garcia vs. Zab Judah Postponed to April 27th
Jan 27, 2013
The highly anticipated matchup between Zab Judah and WBC/WBA junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia has been postponed, according to ESPN's Dan Rafael. The postponement comes due to a rib injury suffered by Danny Garcia in sparring about a week ago.
I for one was really looking forward to seeing this fight. Garcia is a fast rising star in the sport, while Zab Judah is likely past his prime but looked great in stopping Vernon Paris in his last fight.
Judah is a very live underdog in this bout and is no doubt being taken very seriously by Danny Garcia and his team.
As for whom the postponement will benefit, it's still unclear. If Garcia is severely injured, maybe pushing back the fight nearly three months isn't long enough for him to adequately recover. Judah should look to exploit any weakness Garcia may have coming into the fight.
It looks like the fight will take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on April 27th, which is the same date that Paulie Malignaggi is tentatively scheduled to make his return to the ring. It's not yet known if they'll fight on the same card, or if Malignaggi will be moved off that date to a fight later on in May.
Either way, fans should still be excited for this fight. It should be a good one between two excellent fighters.
Danny Garcia vs. Zab Judah: Melee at the Press Conference in the Big Apple
Dec 1, 2012
Earlier today pandemonium broke out at the press conference promoting junior welterweight world champion Danny Garcia's February 9 clash with four-time world champion Zab Judah at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. To watch the Ringtv.com video, click this link.
It will come as no surprise to most boxing fans that the confrontation was precipitated by Danny Garcia's father and trainer, Angel. At this point the older Garcia has a well-established reputation for talking trash.
"Kostya Tszyu was Zab Judah's time," said the older Garcia, referring to Judah's iconic second-round stoppage at the hands of Russian Hall of Famer in 2001. "This is now. This is Danny's time."
The Kostya Tszyu reference has to be viewed as a low blow. Not only was it Judah's first career loss, but it was also among the most embarrassing things to ever transpire inside a boxing ring, an event that is always referenced by Judah haters whenever they are lining up to criticize the Brooklyn native.
Unwilling and unable to accept that he had been knocked out, Judah at first argued vehemently with the referee and then with his own corner. A near riot broke out in the ring.
But it was over a decade ago, and Judah appears to have matured considerably as a person since then. No longer the overbearingly cocky, undefeated young prospect, he is now a seasoned veteran with multiple world title reigns on his resume.
His interviews now lean toward the thoughtful, rather than the rash and boastful.
But the sustained attack from the elder Garcia was enough to push Judah to his emotional breaking point today. Fighter and trainer briefly traded insults nose to nose before being separated.
Predictably, the elder Garcia's own temper quickly escalated. As Judah was dragged away from the podium by his handlers, Garcia continued to direct an F-bomb-laced rant in Judah's general direction.
It has become a routine performance for the father of the very talented junior welterweight champ. The fighter himself is relatively content to let his ferocious lead hook do his talking for him. But it seems like Pops just can't resist chiming in as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXLGhf9YLHk
At least it adds an element of heat to a fight that wasn't really anybody's first choice for a Garcia title defense. Despite his lack of tact, nothing Angel Garcia said was particularly off-base or inaccurate.
While Judah looked very good in his last outing, a Round 9 TKO over previously unbeaten Vernon Paris, prior to that he was beaten decisively by Amir Khan in July of 2011, knocked out in five. Khan, of course, dropped his share of the 140-pound belt to Garcia this past July via Round 4 TKO.
Danny Garcia to Fight Zab Judah: Is This Fight a Letdown for Garcia?
Nov 7, 2012
According to RingTV.com’s Lem Satterfield, current lineal junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia and his team have struck a deal to face former champion Zab Judah. Interestingly, the location of Garcia-Judah could come in familiar confines for both fighters:
We have finalized the terms for a fight between Danny Garcia and Zab Judah, said [Richard] Schaefer of Garcia, who headlined the first-ever boxing event at Barclays Center in Brooklyn last month. It's going to be on Jan. 19 on Showtime, and I'm currently holding the Barclays Center.
Judah (42-7, 29 KO), of course, is a Brooklyn native, and Garcia (25-0, 16 KO) made a significant splash in his title defense at the Barclays Center when he practically decapitated Erik Morales with a picture perfect left hook. In terms of marketability, electing to stage Garcia-Judah at the Barclays Center with the Ring, WBC and WBA titles on the line makes sound fiscal sense.
Economics aside, is the prospect of Garcia-Judah a letdown?
Well, the answer is a somewhat complicated one. The fact that Garcia had to contest a second fight against Morales (52-9, 36 KO)—who was a tremendous champion but has clearly seen better days—due to a rematch clause left many feeling disgruntled. Popular opinion seemed to suggest that Garcia, as a young, talented champion, should be facing the other prime contender in his weight class.
Of course, Garcia legally owed Morales a rematch, but after destroying the Mexican legend and future Hall of Famer, it appeared that the path had been cleared for Garcia to face the likes of Lucas Matthysse, Marcos Maidana (who has been recently campaigning at welterweight) or Mike Alvarado.
The selection of Judah as Garcia’s next opponent could prove to be a divisive one, and much of this has to do with how one feels about Judah’s current status as a contender. Two fights ago, Judah was thoroughly dominated in a unification bout against Amir Khan, a fighter whom Garcia stopped in four rounds.
After getting knocked out in the fifth round by Khan, it appeared that Judah’s time as a relevant, championship-level fighter had come to an end. Then, in his last fight, Judah looked sharp in stopping Vernon Paris in nine rounds in a title eliminator. But should this bounce-back win be enough to secure Judah a lineal title shot?
At 35, Judah is certainly past his prime, but that hardly means he doesn’t pose a threat or challenge to Garcia. A naturally gifted boxer, Judah is a fighter blessed with speed and explosive power, especially at 140 pounds. Also, as a southpaw, Judah presents the kind of challenge and test that Garcia, as a young champion, eventually needs to pass.
It is reasonable to suspect that Judah will put forth a more competitive effort than Morales did against Garcia. Morales, it seemed, had aged badly since his first fight with Garcia, and if Judah’s bout against Paris (26-1, 15 KO) is any indication, he appears to have some fight left in him.
Perhaps, challenging for the title in Brooklyn will provide Judah with some extra motivation, and the fight could serve as a means to further enhance Garcia’s profile.
It is understandable to want Garcia to fight the likes of Matthysse immediately. That would undoubtedly be an excellent, world-class bout, and it should happen at some point. On the other hand, in terms of developing Garcia as a champion, there’s no need to rush.
This is not to suggest that Garcia should continue to fight former champions in their mid-30s. Fans will quickly lose patience with Garcia if this becomes the case, and there is no indication that Garcia and his team intend to protect him. As a lineal champion, there is only so much maneuvering one can do.
As a former IBF and WBO junior welterweight titlist and lineal welterweight champion, Judah deserves respect, even if his performances have been uneven in recent years. At 24, Garcia can still benefit from fighting an experienced and talented boxer like Judah.
Garcia seems to be on a meticulously crafted career path that has, thus far, been sound. In terms of his development as a fighter, there is no evidence to condemn his team’s choices; while public opinion about Garcia-Judah will vary, it can be a successful fight from an economic and pure boxing standpoint. And don’t completely count Judah out.
However, Garcia and his team have been put on notice. If Garcia defeats Judah impressively, he will have no choice but to step up and fight his elite contemporaries. Contesting genuine mega-fights is a stage few fighters actually arrive at. Garcia, for now, seems to be giving himself the best chance to someday achieve this status. All he needs now is a bit more patience.
Danny Garcia: Next Fight Will Be Jan. 19 Likely Against Zab Judah
Oct 24, 2012
Danny Garcia, the WBA and WBC junior welterweight champion, should be back in the ring Jan. 19 according to a recent report by Lem Satterfield of The Ring.
The fight would most likely land in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center, where Garcia scored a spectacular knockout win over Erik Morales this past Saturday.
Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer would not specify who the possible opponent would be, but he said that there are two fighters they are currently looking at.
With the proposed fight being in Brooklyn, one has to assume that the most likely candidate is former junior welterweight titleholder and former welterweight champion, Zab Judah.
Judah, who hails from Brooklyn, recently turned down an offer to face IBF titleholder Lamont Peterson in hopes of landing a bigger fight.
A win over Judah (42-7, 29KOs) would be a nice name on the record of the 24-year-old Philadelphia fighter, who is starting to amass quite the resume.
Garcia (25-0, 16KOs) holds two wins over future Hall of Famer Erik Morales, a stunning knockout over former titleholder Amir Khan, in addition to decision wins over former titleholders Kendall Holt and Nate Campbell.
Another name that might be in the mix is that of Golden Boy stable mate and interim WBC junior welterweight titleholder, Lucas Martin Matthysse.
The Argentinian Matthysse (32-2, 30KOs) is coming off of an outstanding win over the previously undefeated Olusegun Ajose (30-1, 14KOs) this past September.
A fight with Matthysse would be an early fight of the year candidate and, on paper, appears to be a much more competitive fight than one with the aging Judah.
Lamont Peterson vs. Zab Judah Purse Bid Won by Headbangers Promotions
Oct 2, 2012
Earlier today, the IBF held a purse bid at its New Jersey offices for the mandatory junior welterweight championship fight between current champion Lamont Peterson and No. 1 contender Zab Judah.
Andre Johnson, the official spokesperson for Headbangers Promotions, informed Bleacher Report that Headbangers Promotions won the purse bid.
According to fightnews.com, the winning purse bid was $50,000. The purse is to be split 75/25 between champion and challenger, but they should fight for substantially more money when all is said and done
Headbangers is looking to stage the fight in Peterson’s native Washington, D.C., and both the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and the D.C. Armory are possible venues for the proposed fight, according to Johnson.
The two parties have 15 days to come to an agreement and submit signed contracts to the IBF. The fight must be staged in the next 90 days or Jan. 2. If they are unable to come to an agreement in the allotted amount of time of 15 days, the fight will go to a second purse bid if an extension is not filed with the IBF.
As of this time, there is no date or TV broadcaster set, but Johnson says they should have that ironed out in the coming days.
HBO and Showtime could be options, but Johnson would not elaborate on what networks, if any, they have spoken to at this point.
Bleacher Report will have more on this story as the information becomes available.
Michael Walters is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand.
Why IBF Champion Lamont Peterson Should Fight Zab Judah on HBO or Showtime
Sep 28, 2012
During the past couple of weeks there has been a lot of speculation about who IBF junior welterweight champion Lamont Peterson will be fighting next. Zab Judah is the mandatory challenger for Lamont’s IBF title, and if the two parties cannot agree to terms soon the fight will go to a purse bid on October 2.
A purse bid is essentially an auction where promoters bid for the right to promote the fight. If the fight does go to a purse bid, Top Rank and Golden Boy would seem to be the most likely entrants.
The two promotional companies have already locked up dates TV dates on HBO and Showtime for virtually every Saturday night for the months of November and December.
A Peterson vs. Judah matchup would be a great addition to any of the upcoming cards on the premium cable networks, but the fight makes the most sense on the East Coast where both fighters would draw a much better crowd than they would out west.
Peterson vs. Judah could be a huge draw in Peterson’s native Washington, D.C., where the fighter had a strong turnout for his last fight.
A great deal of the attendance could be attributed to his opponent Amir Khan; the Washington, D.C., metro area boasts a large Pakistani population, which no doubt helped the live gate. Peterson did draw a large crowd, however, Khan’s help not withstanding.
Judah, a native New Yorker who many boxing observers believe is on the downside, is still a draw in the New York City metro area. Besides his loss to Amir Khan in Las Vegas last year, most of Judah’s recent fights have been staged in New Jersey and New York.
Had the two sides been able to come to an agreement back in August when the IBF ruled that Peterson would maintain his title despite testing positive for synthetic testosterone, the fight may have had a chance to land on the October 20 card to be held in Brooklyn at the soon-to-be-opened Barclays Center.
Golden Boy Promotions may still be harboring some bitterness toward Peterson after having to cancel his rematch with Khan in May. But a unification bout between The Ring Magazine, WBC and WBA champion Danny Garcia and Peterson could be a big matchup for the first half of 2013 should both fighters retain their respective titles in their upcoming bouts.
With Adrien Broner’s November 17 HBO date said to land in Atlantic City, N.J., a Peterson vs. Judah matchup would also make sense. The upcoming Miguel Cotto vs. Austin Trout card scheduled for December 1 at MSG would be another Golden Boy-promoted card to which a Peterson vs. Judah matchup would be a great addition.
Top Rank promotes Tim Bradley, who is rumored (per Mike Coppinger of The Ring Magazine) to be making his New York debut on December 15, and is need of an opponent. A rematch with Peterson has been mentioned as a possibility.
The Peterson camp has made it clear, though, that defending the title of the organization that stuck by him throughout his recent trials and tribulations is their priority.
If Bradley is able to secure another opponent for his New York debut, a Peterson vs. Judah matchup would provide strong support for the live gate and could lead to a showdown between the winners of the two bouts.
No matter where this fight lands, Peterson vs. Judah is a compelling matchup and would be a highly competitive fight that deserves to be broadcast by either HBO or Showtime.
