Boxing has no time for late bloomers. Old guys, yeah. But the late bloomer is either forgotten, or dismissed for squandering talent, or just an easy victory for an emerging star. Zab Judah is that fighter. He’s that legendary prospect who has matured after his physical skills have passed their prime.
Yet, it’s the maturity that makes him so likable against Paulie Malignaggi Saturday night at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn in a Showtime-televised bout (8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT). It’s been a long journey for Judah, who has fought his way back from almost being a cartoon character in a loss to Kostya Tszyu.
In what became a YouTube hit and an early lesson in how social media’s virtual reality can leave real scars, Judah dominated Tszyu in the first round, then mocked him in the second. The clowning opened Judah up to successive rights that left him stumbling across the canvas as though it were a trampoline. Down once. Down again. Enraged by a stoppage, Judah threw a stool and shoved a glove into referee Jay Nady’s neck.
Funny stuff for anybody with a laptop, but it was deadly for a career that should have been near its prime. It was also a temper tantrum from a kid who thought he’d never lose. Judah was 24 then. He’s 36 now. In the 12 years since Tszyu stopped him in his first defeat, he’s won 15, lost seven and learned a lot.
“As everybody can see throughout my career, I hate losing’’ Judah (42-8, 29 KOs) said in a conference call. “Some of my early losses, I kind of went crazy. I’ve learned to control myself over the years, but losing is something that’s not in my arsenal right now. It’s something that we’re not looking forward to doing. We’re looking at progress and moving forward.’’
There’s a sense that Judah, now in his 18th yer as a pro, is still chasing potential that was there as an amateur with a record reported to be 110-5. He still talks as if he has pound-for-pound aspirations. Memories last longer than hand speed.
Malignaggi, a fellow Brooklyn fighter, remembers how he would wait around the gym just to watch Judah spar. For younger amateurs, Judah was going to be the fighter that that they could only dream about. There was even a time when Judah coached Malignaggi, now 33, in a New York amateur tournament.
“I thought he won that fight, from my recollection,’’ Judah said “Even back then as an amateur he had a heart, he was gutsy. He came out, he was very scrappy. I recall that, yeah, we kind of pulled out a lot of champions that year. So yeah, I think that Paulie did win the fight that year.’’
Malignaggi (32-5, 7 KOs) remembers a different result.
“I didn’t win that fight but I lost to a big rival of mine,’’ he said. “But we won the team trophy. Zab was the team coach and we won the team trophy at the Empire State Games.’’
Malignaggi’s fond memory looks to be a reflection of how the public has begun to see Judah. Flawed, yet likeable for the way he has endured and grown up in a place where vulnerabilities are always exposed. To a lesser degree, it’s like the evolution in public perception of Mike Tyson. Once reviled, Tyson has become a personality that fascinates the public because he doesn’t hide.
In that, there’s a fearless nature exhibited by Judah in losing a 2006 decision to Floyd Mayweather Jr., again in an 11th-round TKO loss to Miguel Cotto in 2007 and still again in losing a unanimous decision to Danny Garcia in April. Each was a defeat, which many believe will be how Judah will be remembered.
But also remember this: With each loss, Judah grew up in a personal victory that turned boos into applause.
No defeat in that.
