SPINKS-JUDAH LOOMS SCENE-STEALER IN VEGAS

Wladimir Klitschko testing Lamon Brewster for the vacant WBO heavyweight crown is billed as the main event but the more torrid action looms when Cory Spinks risks his undisputed welterweight title against Zab Judah Saturday, Apr.10 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

The latter 12-round championship kicks off HBO’s TV doubleheader starting at 6:45 p.m. PT followed by Klitschko-Brewster.

In the weeks leading up to the first bell, Nevada’s licensed oddmakers had Spinks-Judah as a 6-5 pick ‘em, but as the betting interest increased, Judah. holding the WBO junior welterweight belt, became a minus $1.65 choice with Spinks, a triple-belt holder, standing at plus $1/45. The extra wagering appeal is both champions are southpaws.

It’s a big move for Judah, out of Brooklyn, N.Y., who has never fought heavier than 140 but he is getting a three-to-one package since Spinks, a natural welter at 147 from St.Louis, Mo., added to his IBFbelt when he upset Ricardo Mayorga Dec.13 on a majority 12-round decision to add the WBA/ WBC crowns in Atlantic City.
It was another chapter in adding the Spinks Jinx might be more than family boxing history when Cory made Mayorga wonder why he ever left Nicaragua.

Few fighters in any weight class have been embraced by a boxing tradition that is virtually unmatched in the life of 25-year-old Cory Spinks, whose credentials are now 32-2, 10 KOs.

Leon Spinks, the affable youngster’s father, wrote one of the greatest upsets in history by decisioning Muhammad Ali Feb.15,1978 in Las Vegas to win the heavyweight title. It was only Leon’s eighth fight as a pro. Five days later Cory was born in St. Louis.

If that wasn’t enough, Cory’s uncle, Michael Spinks, then light-heavyweight king, shocked the sports world. with a first on Sept.16,1985 in Las Vegas when he decisioned Larry Holmes (49-0) to take the IBF heavyweight crown.

It’s not surprising that Spinks’ grade school chums in St. Louis were always asking questions about his famous relatives and good reason as a any why he started boxing serious in the amateurs at 14, winning national titles with a 112-8 record before turning pro in 1996.

When the future champion had some differences with veteran trainer Kenny Adams, Kevin Cunningham
doubled up from managing.
Cunningham, who had the fighter switch from Las Vegas to Colorado Springs, Co., to train for the Mayorga fight, wasn’t surprised at the outcome.

“People calling it an upset just weren’t aware. The fight plan we had for Mayorga was just perfect and he turned out to be just what we thought he would be very tough and rugged, but totally unskilled. The only way he was going to beat Cory was to land a bomb. When that happened Cory took the shot and countered well,” said Cunningham.

“I know my guy’s make up and I’ve seen him hit pretty good by middleweights and bigger guys in sparring drills and more than hold his own. It got to a point where Mayorga must have felt the only way he could win was to turn roughhouse. Referee Tony Orlando penalized him two points for hitting after the bell ending the fifth round and for holding and punching in the 11th round.”

Spinks wasn’t upset training in Las Vegas for Mayorga, but the team felt more comfortable with the environment in Colorado Springs.

“I’ve done everything I need to do to be sure I win this fight---whether it’s a decision or a knockout. Judah has more skills than Mayorga and he is much faster in his approach. That’s why Kevin turned to Colorado
Springs because he didn’t think what we had in Vegas was just right for this fight. Training at a higher altitude was more appropriate.”

Judah wasn’t a mandatory challenger and a title defense Spinks didn’t have to take, but as Cunningham explains it, Spinks’ desire was to make a statement by “fighting the best that is out there and a thing that true champions should do.”

It may be surprising for much of the projected sellout crowd of 12,500, but they may be seeing a much different Zab Judah than the night he almost triggered a riot after being TKO’d by undisputed 140-pound champion Kostya Tszyu Nov.3,2001 at the MGM Grand Garden.

Judah freaked out, trying to attack heavyweight referee Jay Nady for his correct gesture in stopping the bout after the challenger had been down twice in the second round. To compound the fracture, Judah threw a stool from his corner, but there were no injuries when a Metro police officer caught it in flight in the ring.

Much of the national media felt Judah got off light when the Nevada State Athletic Commission fined him $75,000 plus a six-months suspension.

Still a man-child at the time, Judah said he was still “mad for a while the way the referee handled the fight”, but finally came back July 13, 2003 and won the WBO junior welterweight crown from Demarcus Corley on a split decision after breaking his right hand early in the bout at the MGM Grand Garden.

Judah made his first defense of the WBO crown last Dec.13 against Jaime Rangel in Atlantic City where promoter Don King offered 10 championship bouts.

The charismatic Judah made a lot of noise about “closing the show” but that was impossible since his bout opened the card and he chilled Rangel, from Cordoba, Colombia with a 29-5, 25 KOs resume, at 1:12 of the first round.

Judah has surprised much of the cynical media on hand to cover King’s twin title bouts with his unexpected maturity about boxing.

“I’m really looking forward to this fight. I know I have the speed and the power to blast Spinks out of the box.

Speed is power and that combination creates knockouts. Cory will find out that I am just as fast as he is and I hit even harder,” Judah reflected in his final workout.

“The pressure is not on me, it’s on Spinks right now. I give Cory all the credit in the world and I respect him for what he is ---undisputed champion. This is his first time with the title, so that’s why the pressure is on him. From Day One, I told Don King about this fight. I told him Mayorga may be a stud, but Cory has a chance to beat him because he is a southpaw. I was hoping King would pull it off because it would put us where we are today.” Judah hasn’t put the Tszyu disqualification out of his mind.

“I can’t believe it has been since 2001 that it has happened. I have been through so much, trial and error. I went back down to the bottom again. They would not let me train in the gyms in New York while I was on that probation, I got my own gym.and I trained at home.

From then to now, I’m a different person. I got married and I have a child. I am dedicated to myself again and it feels good,” the WBO champion eagerly admits.

“Emotions played a part in my disqualifications against Tszyu. I have apologized to Jay Nady, the referee. You don’t know how many times i have apologized The fight leaves me with questions. Since we were not able to continue, the questions of what we could have done is still there.”

In retrospect, the ambitious pride of Brooklyn
admitted “I wanted to hurt Tszyu. He said some foul things about me and gave me a really hard time in making the fight. It took a long time and he did everything at his own pace. We fought on the same card and he gave me the opportunity. It was not my time yet. He was teasing me and all I was thinking about was letting me get you out of here. But I am back once more again fighting for the undisputed title.”

Yoel Judah, whose son calls his father the greatest trainer in the world, is extremely pleased with “Zab’s maturity as a fighter and a human being.”

“Zab is right there where he is suppose to be regarding weight. Since he was 15, he has been 139 pounds. Now at 26, it’s 147 and that’s perfect. When Cory beat Mayorga, I told Don King we want this fight. Mayorga and Zab are elite fighters. Zab is really focused. We are ready to fight 12 or 20 rounds on Saturday. He has really grown up, there is no more cockiness. He knows the job he has to do. We respect Cory and his camp. He is a very good fighter with very good skills. We have 100 traps ready and we are going to let the judges decide the fight. Patience is a very prime key in this fight.”

(Jack Welsh is a syndicated columnist headquartered in Las Vegas and a regular contributor to Ringsports.Com.)