TSZYU RETURNS HOME - JUDAH'S PURSE
WITHHELD
Tony Nobbs, Australia
06.11.01 - Undisputed Super Lightweight
Champion of the World Kostya Tszyu arrived home to
a hero's welcome at Sydney Airport this morning less
than 48 hours after his unifying second round stoppage
victory over Zab Judah in Las Vegas. Controversy still
surrounds Tszyu's victory but the once beaten Russian
born fighter did not seem bothered when he faced the
media and spoke of his rival who has had his purse
withheld by the Nevada State Athletic Commission,
pending an investigation to his post fight behaviour
in the ring. "His overconfidence, cockiness,
inexperience cost him. He beat a different class of
opponent easily made him think he was unbeatable.
When he faced someone better he did not know where
he was going (after being hit)."
With Judah's camp still protesting
the decision with the NSAC as well as the three sanctioning
bodies (WBA, WBC, IBF) the fun looks to be just beginning.
Some writers (where do they find these guys?) are
also throwing their two bucks worth into the debate,
comparing referee Jay Nady's so called premature stoppage
with under one second left in the round two to Richard
Steele's stoppage in the Chavez-Taylor fight in 1990.
Really, you can't compare the two bouts (except they
were both 140 lb unifications). Taylor was way in
front on the scorecards with only two seconds left
on the clock in the final round and Chavez was on
the other side of the ring. Saturday nights fight
didn't even get out of the second. Like Richard Steele
had to make a judgement call, so did Jay Nady. When
Zab got up, he fell face first on spaghetti legs and
Nady waved it away. The second fall seemed to shake
Judah back clear a bit but the fight was already over.
Nady's decision was the right one and hopefully it
does not get overturned. Even if Zab (also known unfairly
as "Blab" down under) had been allowed to
return to his corner and come out for round three,
one minute probably would not have been enough to
recover 100 %. He would have been a sitting duck for
Tszyu, one of the best finishers in the game.
Nevada Commissioner Marc Ratner said
he "was not inclined to go back on Jay Nady's
decision. I was sitting ringside and the decision
looked ok to me" but added he will look at the
fight tapes from four different angles at the request
of Showtime and Main Events. Hopefully the NSAC will
be more concerned with Judah's poor conduct towards
Nady after the fight. Though he later apologised,
putting your fist to an officials throat is not acceptable.
Judah's pre fight boast that this was going to be
"Tszyu's last fight and his promoters last fight"
may come back to haunt him. Tszyu says he will have
a break before making a mandatory.
His only conquerer Vince Philips stopped
Carlos Brosas on the undercard and there are also
other options Kostya can take, his last amateur fight
was an easy win in 1991 over Vernon Forrest, the current
IBF Champ at Welterweight, but Tszyu makes 140lb very
easily. Tszyu commented that "Zab can come back.
He can be very good." His effort for the first
5 minutes and 50 seconds showed that he is at leas
the second or third best in the division, it will
be interesting to see how he returns. At the post
fight press conference, Showtime's Jay Larkin said
that "if we can get these two together again
in Feburary it will make a mega of a fight."
Terrific.
WBC CONGRATULATES JAY NADY
06.11 - From WBC President Jose Sulaiman: "The
World Boxing Council conveys its wholehearted congratulations
to referee Jay Nady of Las Vegas, who very opportunely
stopped the fight last Saturday between Konstantin
Tzsyu and Zab Judah before another blow could cause
'second-concussion syndrome,' which can be fatal.
"The right-hand blow landed by Tszyu was fulminating
enough to not only send Judah to the canvas once -
he barely stood up before staggering and falling limply,
face-first, to the canvas again. When he stood up
a second time to protest, he staggered again and fell
into Nady, who caught him and prevented him from going
to the canvas again. The referee called it a clear
knockout and fortunately stopped the bout. The WBC
is disappointed at the aggressive way in which Judah
acted following the fight, but realizes it was probably
because he was still affected by the concussion.
"Nady acted in absolute respect to the safety
measures that are designed to protect the boxer, adhered
exactly to the rules, and performed like the good
referee that he is, knowing what to do at the right
time.
"With safety being the backbone of the WBC, we
are very proud of Jay Nady and the way he handled
the situation. We hope that other referees will take
his actions as a good example of how safety is the
referee's top priority and commitment, regardless
of protests from the public, the fighter's handlers,
or the fighter himself.
"The WBC has received a protest from Judah's
representatives, not disputing the effects of the
knockdown, but because they thought the round had
ended when the fight was stopped.
"Their protest will be heard at the WBC's 39th
Annual Convention in Pattaya, Thailand, which will
be held from December 2 to December 8, 2001. Many
other items will be on the convention agenda, including
a new plan for the promotion of boxing. The WBC has
already received more than 350 reservations for the
convention from all over the world."
