I'll state up front, I'm no fan of Zab Judah. I think he is a good fighter but nothing special in the realm of great fighters past and present.  I always felt he was an overrated big mouth trash talker.  His first time on the big stage against Kostya Tszyu, he was like a deer in headlights.  He talked big before the bout but couldn't back it up. 

Zab once again has verbal diarrhea.  Zab evidently has never gotten over his humiliating defeat at the hands of Kostya Tszyu.  He's now calling out and disparaging the 36 year old faded ex champion.  Zab is looking to prove to the world he's the best pound for pound fighter. Here we go again, another best pound for pound fighter. Zab figures the best way to do this is to pick on a 36 year old Tszyu. I guess he figures age and Ricky Hatton have taken enough out of Tszyu, to rendered him harmless and non-threatening. 

Recently Zab has imparted these pearls of wisdom to one and all, when speaking of the faded ex champion... "You see how Ricky Hatton beat the life out of him," asked Judah. "He's dead right now;  let me finish him off and show the world that I am the best pound for pound fighter."   Zab's class knows no bounds.  

One may ask why Zab wants to finish off a dead fighter. What will that prove?  Especially since the dead fighter Zab refers to already stopped him in two rounds. Zab was 24 at the time and the dead fighter was 32.  He couldn't defeat 32 year old champion  Kostya Tszyu, so now he wants to defeat 36 year old ex-champion Kostya Tszyu. How noble and courageous of Zab.    

Zab is still disillusioned regarding his title fight with Tszyu;  Tszyu must have knocked him into a state of  perpetual unconsciousness. The fighter from Brooklyn had this to say about the fight, "I had him in the first round. He was holding on for life. Listen, my speed and power is nothing to play with."  What Zab doesn't seem to get is, Tszyu survived the first round or first onslaught and was never on the canvas, never mind face down. Matter of fact, he was more than holding his own in the first round after Zab's initial onslaught stunned him. Evidently Tszyu found a way to deal with Zab's greasy fast speed and power, he disposed of Zab in the second round.

Nady stopped the fight because Zab went down face first like a ton of bricks. He got up and stumbled around the ring like a drunken sailor or you can say a floundering fish. He had absolutely no legs. The same apologists who say the fight was stopped too early would be the same ones that would say it was stopped too late if Zab was injured.  There was nothing controversial about the stoppage.  The only thing apprehensible, bizarre and controversial was Zab's behavior after the stoppage. He had more fight in him for Jay Nady than for Kostya Tszyu. I'm glad Nady remained cool. I think Nady would've stopped Zab in the condition Zab was in.

If Zab wants to create a legacy of his own, don't look to do it against a faded ex champion and then try to pass it off as a major accomplishment. Zab had his chance against the younger Tszyu and failed miserably.  He trash-talked before the first fight and ended up firmly planting foot in mouth. Zab needs to get over the fact that he was smoked by Tszyu, he should have the class and dignity to give Tszyu his kudos.  Stop trying to feast on the carcass of a once great champion.  

The irony in all this would be if the faded Tszyu accepts the fight and gives Judah another beating. The dead fighter may be like one of those George Romeo zombies.  Somehow I still don't think it would put an end to the world according to Zab.   

Frank Costarelli Jr.

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