MAYWEATHER ON TRACK TO BEING THE GREATEST WITH WIN OVER JUDAH
By Moncayo Blackbull Photos: Eric Van Dyke/InsideBoxing.com (Click on pictures for larger view)

LAS VEGAS (InsideBoxing.com April 8, 2006) - The confrontation was billed “Sworn Enemies” but in reality you have two fighters, two camps that mirror each other in many ways. Both are proud and filled with honor, both want to be looked at as the best in boxing and both with out a doubt have superior skills when it comes to the sweet science of boxing. But in the end there could only be one.

Judah had many viewers wondering if he had what it takes to beat Mayweather. For the first four rounds Judah had control, scoring with speed combinations and moving, keeping the fight at his distance. After four rounds of boxing it looked as if it could be a long night for “Pretty Boy Floyd”. You could even hear the crowd chanting “Judah Judah”

The Judah hurrah was short lived as Mayweather adjusted to the speed boxing of Judah. Mayweather started to close the distance by tightening up his defense, holding his hands up high blocking the punches of Judah. Once in tight, Mayweather would go to work on the body of Judah, hitting him with solid shots which effectively slowed Judah and changed the tempo of the fight. From the fifth round out, it would be hard pressed to give Judah a round.

The action in round 10 was escalated when a fracas broke out between corners. Near the end of the round Judah hits Mayweather with a low blow. As Mayweather bends over in pain from the blow Judah adds an exclamation blow to the back of Mayweather’s head. Roger Mayweather jumps into the ring headed for Judah and Yoel Judah enters the ring and heads Roger off throwing a glancing punch. Zab circles around and releases a few punches of his own at Roger, it doesn’t take long for the ring to fill with members of each team, police, and officials, even Mac Ratner the Executive Director of the Nevada Boxing Commission made his way into the ring.

Upon the ring being cleared and order obtained, Roger Mayweather was ejected from the arena and the fight continued. The eleventh and final round are executed with Mayweather winning the contest with a unanimous decision and becoming the IBF welterweight champion of the world.

After the fight Judah’s promoter Don King made the argument that Mayweather should have been disqualified when Roger entered the ring before the round had ended. Referee Richard Steele elected not to take such harsh action and instead ejected Roger.

Steele who also could have disqualified Judah for what seemed to be an intentional sequence of fouls (low blow followed with a shot to the back of the head while Mayweather was bending over) did not. So it seems the proper decisions were made by the veteran referee.

What’s next for Mayweather? There was talk about a rematch against Judah but for real, there is “THE FIGHT” that needs to happen. The two fighters of this generation vying to be recognized as the greatest are Oscar De LaHoya and Floyd Mayweather. De LaHoya has in the past proven he is the best but has faltered as of late, Mayweather has lately shown he is rightfully pound for pound the best. Therefore these great fighters need to put all incidental issues aside and fight in September. Because in the end… There can only be one!