Khan vs. Judah

The highly anticipated matchup between Amir Khan and Timothy Bradley on July 23 fell through for good.  Bradley decided against fighting Khan at this time for various reasons.

Instead, Khan's been given the alternative 140 unification bout--IBF belt-holder Zab Judah.

It's always nice when people quickly get their acts together to create a fight that will actually be exciting and good for boxing.  Aside from the fact that this is a title unifier, this fight involves two of the boxers on JD's Current Pound-For-Pound Rankings (Khan's at #6 while Judah's at #10), which will add some extra excitement.

JD's Tale of the Tape


                              Amir Khan                         Zab Judah
Record                    25-1 (17)                           41-6 (28)
Stance                    orthodox                            southpaw
Height                     5' 10"                                5' 7.5"
Reach                     71"                                    72"
Age                        24                                     33
Title                        WBA                                IBF

**Thanks to boxrec.com for the information.**

Khan's a speed guy.  His fighting style is reminiscent of that of Sugar Ray Leonard.  He's constantly circling, keeping the opponent moving, and throws hard, several-punch combinations.  Fighting under the tutelage of Freddie Roach, he often spars with Manny Pacquiao before Pacquiao's fights.

His one loss was a first round knockout upset against the hard-hitting Breidis Prescott, which became a significant blemish on his record.

Though he rebounded quite nicely, Khan for a while had the reputation of having a weak chin.

In December 2010 he took on another slugger, Marcos Rene Maidana, in order to address his critics.  Many considered their highly competitive war one of the best fights of the year.

While Khan was essentially out on his feet in the 10th round, he stayed on his feet and kept fighting.  He did not prove that he had a particularly strong chin, but he showed that he had enough heart and recuperation abilities to make up for it.

Zab Judah is a good all around boxer, also possessing tremendous speed, with a devastating left hand.  Something of a veteran in the sport, he has toured around different weight divisions with mixed success.  He began his career in the 140-pound division.  His only loss in this division was a second round TKO upset against Kostya Tszyu.

He moved up to welterweight for several years, where lost to several notable opponents: Carlos Baldomir, Floyd Mayweather, and Miguel Cotto, among others.  HBO's highlight reel gives you a good feel for Judah as a fighter, especially in his welterweight days.

Finally in November of 2010 he returned to light welterweight.  He took a split decision against Lucas Matthyse and knocked out Kaizer Mabuza, the latter earning him the IBF title and a spot on my pound-for-pound list.

Judah's record is not necessarily representative of his skill as a fighter.  He brings tremendous talent to the ring, but his performance varies greatly from fight to fight.  On a good day, though, he is an outstanding boxer and a thrill to watch.

Get psyched about this one, it should be very interesting.  Keys to victory and prediction to follow.

-JD