'Super' Judah Announces Rivera Showdown, May 14th
Trinidad-Wright Mega-Fight Becomes Mega-Card with the Addition of Judah
by
Brian Skjold
4/19 - Undisputed welterweight champ “Super” Zab Judah, formally announced today in a national conference call that he will make the first defense of his championship on May 14, against number one mandatory challenger Cosme Rivera. The bout will take place as the co-feature on the Trinidad-Wright card, to be broadcast on HBO Pay-Per-View.
On February 5th, Judah turned his career around in spectacular fashion with a 9th round TKO over Cory Spinks. But, he hasn’t silenced all of his critics yet. In the past, Zab seems to have had the tendency to lose focus when he’s not training for a super-fight. But now, as he sits atop the welterweight division he seems willing to do what it takes to win and stay on top.
“It’s a dream come true. It’s finally a goal I’ve accomplished. I’m just happy right now. I’m focused. I’m back in the gym and training hard. I know it was a long road up and the same work I put into getting to the top, I got to put in ten times more to keep it.”
Now that Zab Judah rules the welterweight division, there are some possible mega-fights looming in the near future. But, first he must get past a road block named Cosme Rivera. Rivera is no push over and always comes to fight. He has never been knocked out in his 12 year career, and has put together a nice run going 7-0 (4 KO’s) since 2001. If Zab wants to keep his belts he will need to be in top form against Rivera.
“He’s a durable fighter. We can’t overlook that he is the number one IBF mandatory defense. So, he’s done enough to get where he’s at today. If I don’t win this fight than there won’t be a Zab Judah vs. De la Hoya or a Zab Judah vs. Shane Mosely fight. So, this fight is just as important, maybe more important, than fighting one of those guys.”
If Judah takes care of Rivera on May 14, plenty of new doors will be open for him. But, out of these many options Zab definitely knows who he wants to fight.
“The fight with De la Hoya is the most intriguing fight that I’m looking for. Or, maybe the winner of Cintron-Margarito to unify the whole division up. I think that Shane Mosely is a shot fighter. He’s just trying to use his old credibility to make people believe he’s still in the running. I’d destroy him. It’s an easy fight. I tried to fight him years ago. I was the one who was standing in his way [at 140], that’s why he never came there.”
Zab Judah is an exciting fighter that can bring in the fans and he also has the goods to stay on top as long as he wants too. And in the near future we may finally have the chance to see him live up to his tremendous potential. At this stage of his career, Judah seems to have a new level of maturity. If his career stays on course, he will be rewarded handsomely for it.
Tickets priced at $1000, $750, $400, $250 and $150 are on sale now and are available at any MGM Grand box office outlet. Tickets also are sold at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (Tower Records/WOW!, Smith's Food and Drug Centers, Robinsons-May stores and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000. Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
The event is being promoted by Don King Productions in association with MGM Grand and Gary Shaw Productions and will be produced and distributed domestically by HBO Pay-Per-View, available to more than 50 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will be broadcast internationally and on closed circuit by KingVision.
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