South Africa’s Kaizer Mabuza will take the next step in his career when he challenges veteran Zab Judah for the International Boxing Federation’s junior welterweight title today.
Mabuza is coming off a bruising one-sided victory over American Kendall Holt just over a year ago.
“I think Judah’s going to have a problem,” Mabuza’s trainer Kosie Wiese told the Star-Ledger newspaper. “[Mabuza] is stronger, he’s taller, he’s younger, he’s very fit.”
The 31-year-old Mabuza is two years younger and 5cm taller than Judah.
However, Judah (40-6, 27 KOs) comes into Saturday’s fight for the vacant title at the Prudential Center with more career knockouts than Mabuza (23-6, 14 KOs) has victories.
In his most recent fight, Judah posted a hard-fought victory over then-unbeaten Lucas Matthysse.
Judah said his preparation for this fight is different because he plans to go 12 rounds.
“Height and reach doesn’t matter or anything,” Judah said. “This is boxing. As long as the man is 140 and I’m 140, that’s all it is. I’ve knocked out tons of taller fighters. His countryman, Jan Bergman was taller than me, longer than me. I knocked him out, too. I’m known for that.”
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