On the Saturday before the Miguel Cotto- Austin Trout event at Madison Square Garden in another location in New York City at the Gallagher’s Steakhouse, a press conference was being held for Danny Garcia vs. Zab Judah.
The lucky few in attendance were privy to some pre-fight fireworks. What started off as a routine press conference ended up being a buildup to a personal grudge match between a future star and battle tested veteran. The press conference was perfectly strategized for a jam-packed turn out as it was conveniently scheduled in New York City right before one of the biggest fights of the year. The strategy took advantage of the already monstrous amount of media that would have been and was attending the main event over at Madison Square Garden.
The presser began with the legendary Bernard Hopkins taking to the podium introducing Golden Boy Promotions return to the brand-new Barclay Center in Brooklyn, New York. A perfect stage for this event; considering that the opponent Zab Judah is a born and raised Brooklynite. Bernard Hopkins started off with the normal formalities to any press conference for any other fight introducing both fighters, giving some back-story and eventually handing the microphone over to Richard Schaefer who did his spew on why this event would be a spectacular one.
Soon the introduction and invitation to the podium would be made for Angel Garcia, the trainer and father of Philadelphia’s Danny Garcia — a young man that’s fast becoming a household name and a permanent fixture on network television — known for his dynamic and explosive left hook.
Angel Garcia is not known to have hair on his tongue and not to refrain from telling his version of the truth. Many in attendance that Saturday afternoon would openly admit that what Angel Garcia said that day was nothing more than the truth. That truth being that Zab “Super” Judah isn’t a threat to Danny, but is he?
Well let’s analyze this together.
Fighters Zab Judah has lost against:
• Floyd Mayweather Jr.
• Miguel Cotto
• Cory Spinks
• Kostya Tszyu
• Amir Khan
• Joshua Clottey
• Carlos Manuel Baldomir
• Lucas Matthysse (this fighter is being included based on how many boxing fans felt Judah lost this fight)
We should ask ourselves would the Danny Garcia we know today beat these men at the times Zab Judah fought them (I know it’s not this simple and styles make fights but this is for theoretical purposes.)?
“Everybody talking about Zab, Zab this, Zab that, you know whatever, but the thing is every time he stepped up he lost, so what is the point, Zab’s a 4 round fighter he knows that,” Angel Garcia said.
Let’s not take Angel Garcia’s statement literal, but keep it in perspective. First things first, in the boxing world being called a 4 round fighter does not mean that a fighter can only fight for four rounds, instead that statement is broken down into the belief that a fighter would normally gas out the second half of the fight.
Again, I don’t believe Angel’s statement should be taken literally, but I do believe it should be generalized. Generalized into the fact that whether Zab Judah gases out before the second half of the fight or mentally breaks down. With those key elements he can be categorized as a 4 round fighter.
Orthodox fighters always seem to have the opportunity to frequently spar or fight other Orthodox fighters. A south paw is about as uncommon as a boxing main event with a UFC undercard. A variety of studies suggest that approximately 10% of the world population is left-handed. So this makes Zab Judah a rare commodity in the sport of boxing, but just fighting out of the southpaw stance doesn’t cut it these days.
Unfortunate for Garcia, Judah is a dangerous southpaw that can be deadly at times ending his fights in one punch knockouts. We’ve seen Judah come from behind, only to land a monstrous uppercut on Kaizer Mabuza ending the contest and capturing the IBF light welterweight title becoming a 5 time Champion.
Judah has placed his left hand on full display throughout his years in the sport, proving that his power carries late in fights as well as early, which he showed in the Jose Armando Santa Cruz obliteration. A knock out that’s gotten numerous replays on ESPN.
One small problem, I consider most of Judah’s wins to “B-level” fighters. He’s failed on the big stage but he will handle you and send you home after a good trouncing if you’re not the “Goods.” Has Garcia proven he is? Or will Judah bring his A-Game and make history, in what seems the perfect stage for him; in Brooklyn, New York the city where he was born and raised in front of his hometown crowd. Or will Garcia’s atom bomb left hook send another top tier fighter spinning down to the canvas in replay fashion of his last two fights?
The Barclay Center needs a champion. Both men have the skill to beat one another but this fight went from pugilistic contest, to a personal beef, only to be settled in the squared circle with both men swearing to dish out punishment and pain.
