By Joseph Herron – The Last Samurai with Tom Cruise was the number one movie in America, and the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King would make its debut in theaters across the country one week later. George W Bush was completing his third year in office as President of the United States of America. “Hey Ya” by Outkast was the number one song in the country. Vitali Klitschko had just become Lennox Lewis’ WBC mandatory challenger by knocking out Kirk Johnson in the second round, and Zab Judah was defending his WBO Jr Welterweight title against mandatory challenger Jaime Rangel..
December of 2003 was the last time the Brooklyn native was in a major title fight at 140lbs.
Tonight, Zab “Super” Judah will attempt to “turn back the clock” and become the IBF Jr Welterweight Champion of the World, as he faces orthodox fighter Kaiser Mabuza from South Africa for the vacant 140 pound world title at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
This remarkably isn’t the first time the 33 year old fighter has faced a South African for the same vacant IBF Junior Welterweight title.
On February 12th, 2000, Judah faced and defeated South African fighter Jan Piet Bergman to originally win the vacated IBF strap. The vacant title was stripped from St. Louis fighter Terron Millett, who Zab eventually fought and knocked-out in August of 2000.
Can Zab Judah recreate that moment of greatness when he initially won the vacant IBF title over eleven years ago?
Probably not if it’s the same fighter who was suspended for choking referee Jay Nady immediately after getting knocked out by Kostya Tsyzu in 2001…Not if it’s the same fighter who mentally self-destructed against Carlos Baldomir in January 2006…Not if it’s the same person who refused to listen to his Father and long-time trainer, Yoel Judah, between rounds of important fights.
Has Zab finally grown up? Is “Super” Judah finally ready to reclaim his seat among boxing’s elite?
Judah’s longtime idol and new mentor, “Sweet-Pea” Pernell Whitaker, seems to think so.
“He’s done everything I’ve asked him to do, and he’s done a little more,” says the boxing legend. “Whatever Zab used to do in the past, is in the past, and now he has a new direction, a great direction.” “All the old habits Zab once had are no longer there. He’s one of boxing’s best. So I expect to see that on Saturday night.”
Judah genuinely feels that this is a new beginning; a fresh start which he attributes to his new mentor and friend, Pernell Whitaker.
“Pernell has been a great influence. Not only has he brought great skills to me, but he tweaked my whole world. He has brought a lot of excitement, joy and fun,” says the New York native. “We had a great training camp in Las Vegas. We trained very, very hard for this fight. I kept my mind focused on the plan. I mean, I’m ready.”
Zab Judah’s opponent, Kaizer Mabuza, realizes that he is the underdog coming into tonight’s fight; a position that he is used to and welcomes with open arms.
In February of 2010, Mabuza was the underdog in an IBF title eliminator bout against former Jr Welterweight Champion Kendall Holt in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The South African fighter shocked the world by giving Holt a severe beating. The former champ refused to answer the 6th round bell, and Mabuza was given the victory.
“It’s an honor to me to fight a person like Zab Judah,” says the 31 year old South African. “I think he had his time; he’s a former world champion. I think this is my time, because I’m still hungry for success. And I promise him, when I take the ring I change, I become a new man.”
In Zab Judah’s mind, the outcome is inevitable:
“I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for bringing me here. I respect Kaizer Mabuza for what he’s done and his climb to the top. Me and my trainers, we’ve prepared ourselves well for this opportunity. Mabuza’s a young man here, he has a lot of time to come back and try to do this again, but this Saturday night is not his time. I respect him for coming over and taking this opportunity, but Saturday night you will see a five time champion of the world!”
Watch Judah vs. Mabuza – live at 9 PM/ET 6 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay per view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, Avail-TVN and DISH Network in the United States, and Viewer’s Choice, Shaw and Bell TV in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $29.95