It is seeming more and more likely that three-division champion Juan Manuel Marquez is likely to accept a lucrative deal from Golden Boy Promotions that would include potential face offs with IBF junior welterweight champion Zab Judah and lightweight contender Robert Guerrero. In recent years Marquez had been clamoring for a third fight with his rival Manny Pacquiao but has silenced his chants as of late.
Guerrero is a slick and sturdy southpaw but it remains to be seen if he can get past his biggest test as a professional when he faces Michael Katsidis this weekend at the MGM Grand. Marquez isn’t overly excited about that fight anyways and seems to really have his eye on Judah, the hard-hitting southpaw from Brooklyn now living in Las Vegas.
Marquez is still going strong at age 37 and Judah recently resurrected his career with a title-winning, seventh round TKO over South Africa’s Kaizer Mabuza last month. It’s a must-win fight between two dangerous and seasoned veterans in the twilights of their careers and when looking at the fight a few thoughts come to mind.
How high is too high for Marquez?
The one alarming thing in this fight, if you are a Marquez supporter, would be the fact that he would have to rise in weight to the junior welterweight class to face Judah, as he has said publicly how much a title in a fourth weight class means to him. Marquez has tangled with the best at 126, 130, and 135 pounds but he seems undersized above anything over the lightweight limit.
This reality was on display in September of 2009 when Marquez, fresh off of a scorching battle with Juan Diaz months earlier, decided to move up two full weight classes to meet Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a fight fought at a catch weight of 144 pounds. Against Mayweather, who himself weighed two pounds over the agreed upon limit and had to pay a $600,000 fine to Marquez, we saw the Mexico City fighter completely out of his element as he was outclassed for twelve frustrating rounds.
A huge part of Marquez’s loss was due to Mayweather’s skills but it was obvious that he was fighting at a weight far too high for him. Judah has locked horns with some brutes, as he used to fight at 147 pounds and was briefly a unified champion in that division, and Marquez would again be entering dangerous territories by moving up.
Technical prowess
Nobody can ever deny how much god-given talent Zab Judah was blessed with. But for all of his talent in the ring, Judah has often unraveled late into fights. Take for example his April 2006 decision loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. In that fight Zab started very strong and looked to have an edge through four rounds but Floyd’s superior fundamentals would eventually rise to the surface as Judah got more and more sloppy as their bout drew on.
Marquez is precise as they come and always fights in a calculated and deadly efficient manner. Often times in boxing it is the more polished and consistent fighter who finds a way to prevail over an opponent with superior traits. If he can find a way to get through the early rounds unscathed, Marquez very well could begin to pick Judah apart as the fight wears on.
A focused Judah could mean trouble
At 33 years old, Judah seems to realize that this could be his last run in the sport and he is a different fighter these days. Long gone is the cocky attitude and the belief that he doesn’t have to take everybody seriously. Training out of the H.I.T. Factory gym on East side of Vegas, Judah has put in some serious work over the past few years and is a fighter on a mission.
Marquez vs. Judah is a fight that could play out in many different ways and the proud Mexican has shown he has the ability to fight well against southpaws, as evidenced by his two spirited battles against Filipino star Manny Pacquiao. You can never count Marquez out because of his proven pedigree and his willingness to constantly put his neck on the line but I have a hunch about Judah in this one.
Given Marquez’s advancing age I feel that he is going to end up hitting his wall sometime soon and it very well could be his next fight. I like Judah, who is fighting with a different kind of temperament these days, to derail whatever plans he has for the final push of his career.
Chris Robinson is based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. He can be reached at [email protected]
