The “Battle for Brooklyn” wasn’t much of a battle. Paulie Malignaggi used his speedy jab and quick feet to dismantle a frustrated Zab Judah en route to an easy unanimous decision Saturday night at Barclays Center.
Though Judah was credited with a knockdown in the second round — it was actually a trip — Malignaggi, 33, dominated the rest of the bout as Judah, 36, offered little offense and looked like a boxer well past his prime.
It was easy fight to score with Malignaggi winning by scores of 117-110 twice and 116-111. The Post scored the fight 118-110 for Malignaggi, who landed 220 punches to 121 for Judah.
Malignaggi (33-5, 7 KOs) captured the NABF title, but the most important belt was the unofficial “King of Brooklyn” belt specially designed for the winner.
“I’ve been in a lot of fights, but you don’t want to lose at home,” Malignaggi said. “There was a lot of pressure. I was glad I was able to come through. I thought he didn’t fight well backing up, so I tried to just keep him backing up.”
The two boxers are friends, but the action was fierce early on. By the third round, Judah had a cut over his left eye and Malignaggi had a cut under his left eye. A clash of heads did most of the damage.
Judah was credited with a knockdown in the second round when he connected with a left as Malignaggi tripped over Judah’s leg. Malignaggi protested referee’s Mike Ortega’s decision to call it a knockdown, but the decision stood.
But that was the last good moment for Judah. Malignaggi had the five-time world champion backing up in the fifth round with his speedy jabs and combinations. It was as if Judah were waiting for the big punch.
Judah didn’t try to change the pace until the seventh, when he tried to make it rough in the clinches. But Malignaggi stayed focused on getting off first with his jab and putting Judah on the defensive.
The pattern continued through the ninth round, with Judah looking more like 46 years old instead of 36. Even when his punches landed, they lacked power.
Judah had said beforehand the old nasty Judah would show up for the fight. Instead it was just an old Judah.
“Paulie kept boxing,” Judah said. “He kept working his jab and working on the outside. I came with expectations of doing my best. But it just wasn’t there.”
A crowd of 9,363 watched a full undercard. In a rugged, bloody fight that went the distance, Shawn Porter (23-0-1, 14 KOs) of Akron, Ohio, captured the IBF welterweight title with a unanimous decision over Devon Alexander (25-2, 14 KOs) of St. Louis. Both fighters were cut as Porter made it a brawl, neutralizing Alexander’s speed. Porter won 116-112 on two judges cards, while the third had it 115-113.
“We wanted to establish that I was the better fighter and we made that happen,” Porter said. “The opportunity was there and I stepped out to the plate.”
Erislandy Lara of Cuba (19-1-2, 12 KOs) captured the vacant WBA super welterweight title with a one-sided decision over Austin “No Doubt” Trout of Las Cruces, N.M., (26-2, 14 KOs). Two judges had Lara winning 117-110, while the other judge saw it 118-109. Lara controlled the entire bout. His jab and his counterpunching was too much for Trout, who was dropped in the 11th round by a straight left.
Sakio Bika of Sydney, Australia, retained his WBC super middleweight title with a split draw with Anthony Dirrell of Flint, Mich. One judge had the fight 114-112 for Bika; another had it 116-110 for Dirrell, while the other had it 113-113.