The light-welterweight division is probably the most exciting category in modern day boxing, and British phenomenon Amir Khan is undoubtedly the vanguard of the thrill associated with the division. Khan’s stirring triumph over the experienced Zab Judah was a firm reminder to those who needed any – the young bloke from Bolton is here to stay.
The Judah encounter was being touted as the litmus test for Amir Khan. The time was right for Khan to take that next step in his career. The 33-year old Judah had recently climbed up to the summit and had the perfect opportunity to rubber stamp his authority by overcoming a well-backed man and to prove the world that he actually belongs to the top. The boxing aficionado geared up for one of the most imperative moments of the boxing calendar- but the events, as they shaped up in Las Vegas staggered one and all as young Khan usurped ‘Super’ Judah’s light-welterweight IBF belt within the blink of an eye.
When the match up was initially announced, the boxing pundits were apprehensive about the fact that Judah’s experience might be too big a task for the young Boxing prodigy to overcome. It took the young Brit merely five rounds to knock out the five-time world champion in a one sided avalanche. Khan was too nippy for the veteran and just like big hitting Marcos Maidana last year, he outmaneuvered his opponent convincingly.
After 2:47 of Round five, Amir stood as the conqueror against the multiple-world champion. Referee Vic Drakulich counted on into Judah’s ear as he statically pronounced his downfall. Khan’s one-two play, where he initially went right to the head and followed it up with right to the mid riff on the waist beltline, was enough to see the American collapse decisively. The move has been scrutinized by a particular quarter of the boxing kingdom and ever since the fight the question as to whether or not it was a “Low Blow” has divided global opinion. The margin was indeed flimsy, but the gravity of the outcome – gargantuan. Low Blow or not, the reposition finished off Judah emphatically.
Judah seemed somnolent and weary, and the boxing sensation from the UK took full advantage. Even the first four rounds can be classified as monotonous landslide. Khan landed 61 of 284 punches; Judah landed 20 of 115 punches thrown. Khan comfortably edged past his rival in every possible classification. Evidently he was too young, too fleet footed, too clever and on the day in question – too good.
Khan started the match-up patiently but landed a swift left upper cut to make his intentions clear. Judah, clearly taken a back looked to riposte strongly but Khan had matters under control and exploited openings proficiently. At the end of Round 1 Khan led 10-9.
Judah tried to up the ante in Round 2 and there was a palpable difference in his movement. He began to counter Khan’s aggression for a while but eventually dug a defensive hole for himself from which he never really managed to escape. After landing a couple of vicious hooks Khan snatched the upper hand and the momentum was now firmly in his favor. Khan’s jabs were some of the best he has ever exhibited. At the end of Round 2 the score read: Khan 10-9 Judah.
Round 3 once again witnessed a mini reincarnation of Judah, who visibly looked perturbed by the relentless onslaught. Pernell Whitaker has lectured him between rounds and Judas looked to reinstate his case with a trade mark hook early on. However Khan parried away all that was thrown at him and sent it back with interest. A hook followed by a damaging body shot and Khan had seized control. The young Englishman rounded off his counter attack with a riveting left-right-left combo that left Judah flat-footed. Judah’s battered lip looked bloody and he looked marked around the eye. Khan’s pace coupled with his assertive play looked to have shot the day light out of Judah. After Round 3: Khan 10-9 Judah.
The fourth stanza set the stage for the knock-out blow in the fifth. Judah bore a resemblance to a jaded warrior who knows that the end is not far away. Khan had his feet firmly planted and continued to land pulverizing blows. The matter was now, all but over. Round 4: Khan 10-9 Judah.
The decisive Round 5 saw Amir Khan continue expertly from where he left off in the previous round. He started to smell blood and had the coveted IBF belt within his sight. The conclusive moment came when Khan posted an uppercut to the waist band of Judah and the latter collapsed like a house of cards – although ostensibly Judah went down as if it was a ‘low blow’. The 10 count started but Judah never got up again. After 2:47 of the fifth, it was game set and match. However one feels that the ‘low blow’ protests that Judah instigated immediately after the match would carry on for a while.
The 7209 fortunate enough to have witnessed the fight at Mandalay Bay were indeed exhilarated to the core. The aftershocks of Khan’s astounding triumph over Judah can’t be belittled. Granted Judah was no way near the realm of his best boxing and that on the day he had forgotten his A-game back home. But the total domination of the British dynamo and the ease with which he overwhelmed one of the biggest names in the world of boxing was indeed awe-inspiring.
Amir Khan’s upsurge has been expeditious and there is a call for him to match up against the current WBC and WBO light-welterweight champion Tim Bradley. However such is the precipitous rise of the boy from Bolton that the Boxing world is anticipating him going toe-to-toe with Floyd Mayweather soon.
