Zab Judah

Zabdiel Judah (born October 27, 1977) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2019.

He also won the 1996 PAL National Championship.

Judah beat Ishe Smith and Hector Camacho Jr., but lost to David Díaz in the finals of the Olympic trials, thus failing to qualify for the Olympic boxing team (he still went to those Olympic Games as an alternate, however).

Judah made his professional debut as an 18-year-old on September 20, 1996, in Miami, Florida and defeated Michael Johnson by technical knockout in the second round.

On April 14, 1998, Judah defeated Angel Beltre in the second round.

He successfully defended the USBA title by stopping Darryl Tyson in the eleventh round on October 15, 1998.

Judah accidentally butted heads with Esteban Flores in a fight in March 1999.

Flores was cut on his forehead, and the match was halted in the third round.

The bout was originally recorded as a technical draw, but the result was changed to a no contest in May 1999.

Judah then defeated Micky Ward by unanimous decision for the USBA Light Welterweight title.

Judah defeated Wilfredo Negron in January 1999 with a fourth-round knockout to win the Interim IBF Light Welterweight title.

He held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the IBF and WBO junior welterweight titles between 2000 and 2004; the undisputed welterweight title in 2005, which included a reign as the lineal champion from 2005 to 2006; and the IBF junior welterweight title again in 2011.

On February 12, 2000, he defeated Jan Piet Bergman to win the vacant IBF Light Welterweight title.

Bergman went down twice in the first round, but recovered in the second round, knocking Judah down.

Judah knocked out Bergman in the fourth round to win the title.

On June 20, 2000, Judah made his first title defense against Junior Witter in Glasgow, Scotland.

It was an awkward fight for Judah, as Witter rarely engaged in an extended exchange of punches.

Witter frequently switched between fighting right-handed and left-handed, making him an elusive opponent.

Judah's consistent body punching slowed Witter down, and in the fifth round, Judah caught Witter with a straight left hand that hurt Witter and sent his mouthpiece skittering across the ring.

Judah defeated Witter by unanimous decision.

Two months later, on August 5, 2000, at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, Judah defeated former IBF Light Welterweight Champion Terron Millett by fourth-round knockout.

Judah was knocked down in the first round from a left hand.

Judah rose quickly, and from that point on he dominated the fight.

Judah hurt Millett with two combinations near the end of the first round.

In round two, Judah sent Millett down with a right hand to the chin.

Millett survived the round, but he was clearly hurt.

In round four, Judah charged across the ring and inflicted a series of blows on Millett, knocking him down again.

Millett got up, but Judah continued his assault and knocked Millett down again.

Millett rose at the count of four, but his legs were unsteady and the referee decided to stop the bout.

In his third title defense, Judah stopped Hector Quiroz in the eighth round on October 20, 2000, at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

On January 13, 2001, Judah defeated Reggie Green by tenth-round technical knockout at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut.

Judah had trouble landing punches effectively against Green for the majority of the fight, but in round ten, he knocked Green down with a left hook.

Green beat the count, but Judah then ran across the ring and sent Green down to the canvas with a right hand, forcing the referee to stop the fight.

On June 23, 2001, Judah defeated Allan Vester by third-round knockout in his fifth successful defense of the IBF title.

In round two, Judah put Vester down to the canvas twice.

In the third round, Judah knocked out Vester with a left hand that connected on Vester's temple.

Vester went down on his knees and nearly lost his mouthpiece.

Judah's career ended in 2019 when he was hospitalized after suffering a brain bleed in a stoppage loss to Cletus Seldin.

Judah began boxing at the age of six and compiled an amateur record of 110–5.

He was a two-time US national champion and three-time New York Golden Gloves Champion.