Mon, Apr 10, 2006 page20

• Mayweather Jr. wins brawl within a brawl

  • AP
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  Floyd Mayweather Jr. couldn't be beaten by the best or the worst of Zab Judah, but it could take days for regulators to unravel the nonsense that erupted in a fight within this title fight.

  Mayweather claimed Judah's IBF welterweight title belt Saturday with a unanimous 12-round decision, remaining unbeaten and winning a championship in his fourth weight class, despite a 10th-round scuffle between trainers and support staff from both camps after Judah hit Mayweather with two illegal blows.

  Don King, Judah's promoter, intended to protest the results and urge a disqualification for Mayweather because of the actions of his uncle and trainer, Roger Mayweather, who jumped into the ring first.

  

  Floyd Mayweather Jr., left, connects with Zab Judah during the 11th round at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday. Mayweather won by unanimous decision.

  PHOTO: AP

  After the fight, the purses were suspended by Skip Avensino, the chairman of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, until videotape of the skirmish could be reviewed.

  "The fight was over when Roger Mayweather went onto the apron and into the ring," King said. "It was a total disqualification. The fighter had a third man in the ring. No matter how you look at it, the fighter is disqualified."

  Floyd Mayweather was well on his way to a win on points before Judah sent Mayweather to the canvas with a left hook to his groin and a right to the back of his head.

  Roger Mayweather, a former fighter, crossed the ropes and attempted to challenge Judah, and members of both fighters' corners followed for several moments of chaos.

  After the fight, King even showed a photograph of someone's hands around Judah's neck in the melee -- and King claimed it was a member of Mayweather's entourage, perhaps Roger himself.

  "Roger was choking me," Judah said. "I was aiming for the body. I didn't plan to hit Floyd low."

  Order was restored by quick-thinking police officers and security guards, who prevented additional amateur fighters from jumping into the ring.

  "Don't you come up here!" one officer warned two members of Judah's entourage, with his hand near his gun.

  After perhaps 5 minutes of drama, the fight resumed as Roger Mayweather was ejected from the arena. Though Mayweather stuck out his tongue at a Judah supporter in the 11th, he and Judah hugged before the 12th round, and Mayweather cruised to another title -- for now, at least.

  "Late in the fight, Roger told me Zab was going to do something dirty, and he did it," Floyd Mayweather said. "I didn't return it, because two wrongs don't make a right."

  Mayweather, the 1996 US Olympian generally considered the world's best pound-for-pound fighter, rose through championships in three weight classes before becoming a welterweight last year. He improved to 36-0 with 24 knockouts.

  "He comes on strong in the first six rounds, and then he gasses out," Mayweather said. "We knew he would come out strong. That was our game plan: To relax, take our time. If there wasn't the controversy, the fight would have ended."

  Mayweather earned a methodical victory after weathering Judah's impressive first two rounds before an enthusiastic crowd of 15,170 at the Thomas and Mack Center.

  Judah was more active and inspired at the opening bell, and the crowd began to chant "Judah! Judah!" in the second round shortly after Mayweather slipped while throwing a punch and Judah landed a right. The champion also yapped at Mayweather while the fighters stalked each other, showing his trademark bravado even against his unbeaten foe.

  Mayweather was forced to cover up again in the fourth after a crowd-pleasing combination from Judah, who backed his opponent against the ropes and barely missed on a couple of potentially devastating shots.

  Mayweather rallied in the fifth with several combinations that put Judah on the defensive, then systematically employed head shots and straight rights to the body that bloodied Judah.

  By the 10th round, Mayweather was laughing in the direction of Judah's corner while the champion's hands slipped and his mouth opened. Shortly thereafter, the craziness began.

  The fight was intended to be for the undisputed welterweight championship, but Judah ruined that event -- and cost himself several million dollars in this purse -- by losing a unanimous decision to unheralded Argentine Carlos Baldomir in January. Judah retained his IBF title only because Baldomir didn't pay that body's sanctioning fee.

  King and Mayweather promoter Bob Arum, longtime enemies working together on just their fourth major fight since 1975, went ahead with the fight anyway.
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