23.09.04 – Why is Martell in this line up to fight you?
Zab Judah: It’s a tune-up fight for the upcoming fight between Zab Judah and Cory Spinks. We are right now talking about a rematch, but one thing at a time. Martell first, then a rematch with Spinks.
What went wrong for you at the Pineda fight? Was it too close to fight two fights in a month or so?
Zab Judah: Well I tried to do the impossible, I tried to go in there and show the world that I already wasn’t pleased with just being called a fighter, so I had to come back in the next month and get some kind of win so I didn’t want to sit around the entire summer not ending on a win so. Its not much but it’s something to make me feel good at the end of the day.
How much better do you feel at this weight now than you did in April at the same weight?
Zab Judah: Well, you know what right now I feel good, even my father and my trainers tell you I’m what you call right now, I’m saturated at 147 lbs but I can fight with Spinks, I think that everybody can clearly see that Spinks was the bigger man in the fight. That was my first fight at 147 lbs, the problem was that I was training so hard that I started losing weight fast and I was like around 144 so I had to eat more to get up to 147 lbs but I think now with this fight and this last fight with Pineda I’m saturated now, I’m a solid 147 lbs. I’m punching like a 147 pounder, my feet are still there and I’m going to show the world that what I did at 140 lbs I’m going to do at 147 lbs.
Would you be interested in going up or down in weight classes to fight and if so which ones?
Zab Judah: Like I said I would love to go down to 140 lbs and fight anybody who’s there, anyone whose calling themselves the best fighter in the world right now I would come do it. If Kosta Tszyu happens to win the fight over Mitchell I would love that right now and get my revenge fight back with Kosta Tszyu. Its not a problem for me right now, I’m looking to get the best fights in the world at whatever weight it takes.
Is there a time frame on when the fight with Spinks might happen?
Zab Judah: Well we’re looking for late December or early January.
Do you think you’re close to signing for that?
Zab Judah: Yea well, we already have a bout agreement and now all we’re doing is looking for the right time and the right venue, you know just money. That’s all we’re looking at right now for anybody big who wants to step up and put the money up.
Would you fight Mayweather?
Zab Judah: Well like I said, me and Floyd are good friends and if the fight so called presents itself of course we would fight each other, for the right amount of money me and Floyd Mayweather Jr., we will get it on. Even though we’re buddies we aint no fools, at the end of the day we both have families and children to feed. A fight between me and Floyd Mayweather Jr. would be for a lot of money and it would be a healthy experience for the both of us, as far as financial wise.
How much of a boost does it give you to fight at home in Madison Square Garden?
Zab Judah: A lot of people don’t understand, they’re focusing a lot on the Mayorga vs. Trinidad fight which is an excellent fight for the Latino community but you got to understand that Zab Judah is ready, I’m born and raised from New York City from Latino fans to Afro-American fans to anyone I’m loved in the city and they’re going to be surprised when I step in that ring. As far as an advantage I think it’s a great advantage, it’s my first time back in the ring ever since my second professional fight and that was back in ’96. So it’s my first time back in the Big Apple and I’m looking forward to putting out a great effort and show.
What your thoughts for the upcoming Tszyu vs. Sharmba Mitchell fight?
Zab Judah: Kosta Tszyu has had a long layoff in boxing and I think that he possesses enough power and strength to go in there and beat a Sharmba Mitchell. Sharmba Mitchell, he has been looking good you know and he’s trying to come and claim his fame in the 147 lbs, but to me Mitchell just lacks heart and you know and heart is a major thing in boxing. If Sharmba Mitchell still has his heart then he might get a win over Kosta Tszyu but right now I see Kosta Tszyu by knockout.
How are you going to guard against underestimating this guy?
Zab Judah: Well like I said I’m excited for my hometown crowd, a lot of my peers, a lot of my friends and family and my plan is not even to go in there and just show my plan is to go in there and catch a highlight, I want to catch the ESPN highlight of the week. So that’s my goal right now, I’m not going to go in there and for no show for anyone, I’m going to go in there… in and out and if it just so happen to be the first round it will be that.
Some people criticize your antics in the ring, is that something you’ve been working on?
Zab Judah: Well, I guess playing around in the ring is not something you can work on, I guess that comes from focusness, playing around in the Pineda fight anyone can see that I dominated in there in the early part of the fight, I hit the guy so much at will that you know, if you go back to Pineda’s record I was the first person to ever put Pineda down on the floor, and Pineda fought tons and tons of guys so you know I was the first and only person to ever drop Pineda, to drop Cory Spinks. So the lack of concentration is just from me getting bored in the ring but I’m very excited for this fight, I’m really up for this fight, I’m happy to be back in New York City in the Garden and it gives myself a chance to get my hometown crowd back again.
Do you think you lost a lot of fans including your home crowd?
Zab Judah: Of course, you know loss is everything, loss of friends loss of family, everything is involved in that but like I always learned a true champion is somebody that knows how to comeback from defeat and that’s what I’m going to be.
How has your sparring been?
Zab Judah: I’ve been sparring with a couple of guys. Ricky who is one of the warrior fighters, a couple professional fighters whose names I don’t want to mention because I don’t want to embarrass them because I want to try to trick them into the ring but like I said I’m very excited for this, I’m very focused. I don’t want anybody to think that because people are looking at my opponent as under 50 opponent that I’m going to come in here and not be in shape and play around. I’m coming in here and training for this fight as if it was a rematch with Cory Spinks. I’m in tremendous shape and I’m coming in here to put a show on for the New York City crowd.