Winning a world boxing title doesn’t carry the same cache it once did — with all the various sanctioning bodies, fractured weight divisions, and interim, diamond, silver and every other color of belt holder claiming to be a champion.
Though the IBF junior welterweight championship will be at stake tonight when Brooklyn’s Zab Judah faces Kaizer Mabuza of South Africa, the real caveat is to remain among the elite in the 140-pound division.
For Judah, tonight’s bout at the Prudential Center’s AmeriHealth Pavilion in Newark is the latest in the series of crossroads bout that will determine whether he is headed for a big-money payday on a premium network or resigned to knowing his best days are behind him. A victory would earn Super Judah a fifth world title, but more importantly keep him in line for a bout with boxers like Amir Khan, Timothy Bradley or Devon Alexander.
“He’s a young man,” Judah, 33, said of the 31-year-old Mabuza. “He has a lot of time to come back and try to do this again. But [tonight] is not his time. I respect him for coming over and taking this opportunity, but you will see a five-time champion of the world.”
Judah (40-6, 27 KOs) is being trained from boxing legend Pernell Whitaker, who has worked to refine the southpaw’s all-around skills as well as his endurance.
“He’s done everything I’ve asked him to do and he’s done a little more,” Whitaker said. “Whatever Zab used to do in the past is in the past. Now he’s in a new direction. He’s one of boxing best.”
Judah will have to prove that against Mabuza, who earned his title shot by stopping former champion Kendall Holt of Patterson, N.J., in six rounds of their fight 13 months ago in Atlantic City.
“I think he had his time,” Mabuza (23-6-3, 14 KOs) said of Judah. “He’s a former world champion. I think this is my time because I’m still hungry for success.”
Tickets, ranging from $53 to $253, are available. It also will be distributed on pay-per-view for $29.95.
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The WBC super welterweight title will be on the line tonight in Anaheim, Calif., where unbeaten Saul Alvarez of Mexico faces Matthew Hatton of England for the 154-pound belt. It’s part of an HBO doubleheader that also features Daniel Ponce De Leon of Mexico against Adrien Broner of Cincinnati. Alvarez (35-0-1, 26 KOs) has looked impressive in recent fights. But Hatton (41-4-2, 16 KOs) is eager to escape the shadow of his older brother Ricky.
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A rib injury suffered during training has forced Christy Martin to withdraw from her scheduled rematch against Dakota Stone on the March 12 undercard of the Miguel Cotto-Ricardo Mayorga fight in Las Vegas. Martin was making a comeback after being allegedly shot and stabbed by her husband James last November. He is awaiting trial.
In a late addition, Baltimore Ravens safety Tommy Zbikowski plans to fight a four-round bout as a cruiserweight. Zbikowski doesn’t have an NFL contract while a new CBA agreement is being negotiated and wants to resume his pro boxing career, which is 1-0 after a victory in his pro debut in 2006. The undercard also will feature former junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman of Brooklyn against Pawel Wolak of Mount Arlington, N.J., in a 10-round bout.
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Tickets also remain available for the March 12 middleweight championship at the MGM Grand Theater in Foxwoods featuring linear champion Sergio Martinez (46-2-2, 25 KOs) defending against WBO junior middleweight champion Sergiy Dzinziruk (36-0, 24 KOs) of Germany. It will be Martinez’s first fight since his dramatic second-round knockout of Paul Williams last December in Atlantic City. The tickets are $50 to $450 and available at the usual outlets.
“I never want an easy fight. I want to fight the best,” Martinez said. “[Floyd] Mayweather cannot fight me. Manny Pacquiao cannot fight me. So I need to fight somebody very challenging, and the best opponent is Sergiy Dzinziruk.”