Exclusive Interview with Zab Judah

The Bryguy and his accomplices caught up with former undisputed Welterweight champion Zab Judah recently. He was preparing at Gleasons Gym for an upcoming fight against Ruben Galven on April 13th. We asked him about his layoff, his next opponent, and the potential mega-fight with Miguel Cotto. Of course The Bryguy also got a pic(coming soon).

you've had a long layoff tell us how that's been and talk about you're upcoming fight.

ZJ: The layoff, one year out, of all it was a negative thing to happen. I turned a negative in to a positive you know what I mean? I let my body heal.... after you heal the wound becomes what? Good again, I'm back and the wound is good again.

Obviously every fight is big for you, but how do you not look past this fight to Miguel Cotto?

ZJ:I have a fight scheduled before Miguel Cotto which is April 13th. You can't look past that fight because if you look past that fight there is no Miguel Cotto fight. You know what I'm saying? So you gotta take it one fight at a time. Right now... yeah Miguel Cotto is in the back of my head, but right now I'm focused on April13th, which is Ruben Calvan and right now I'm looking forward to him, I can't wait, I think it's gonna be great.

Judah vs. Cotto how big is this gonna be for your career and for your legacy?

ZJ:I think it's great because it's gonna show my versatility. You know what I'm saying? It's gonna show that I had bad things and negative things done to me,but I came right back to be the champion that I am. A lot of people can't do that. You got guys that win a title one time by mistake and they never get back again, ever again because they don't belong with it. I've lost titles, won titles, lost titles, won titles...so I mean I think I'm at a different era in my life.... I really know what I want to do now. I'm focused and this time around...I just think they made a big mistake putting a young Miguel Cotto, unseasoned against "super" Zab Judah.

Could you talk about the atmosphere here at Gleason's Gym and why it is such a shrine in the sport of boxing.

ZJ:I've been here since I was six years old. I've accomplished all my great things in boxing, I accomplished it right here. Golden Gloves championships, to the olympics, to turning professional, to winning state titles, world titles, undisputed titles, I did it all right here at Gleason's Gym. I think it's such a great place to be at as far as boxing because of the atmosphere. It's a brutal place, I must say that it's a brutal place. We have some brutal days in here where people get beat up bad here, but one thing about Gleasons Gym, You're gonna learn. Everybody here is a family. I've known guys here for over twenty something years...and we see each other everyday. So it's almost like a marriage, it's a beautiful thing though. I'm happy, I wouldn't go no wear else.

HEAD TO HEAD

Once again Showtime and HBO are going head to head with big fight cards. This weekend as with most of the weekends Showtime's main event is far superior to HBO's. Showtime has the very evenly matched Manuel Marquez moving up a few pounds to take on the reigning Super Bantamweight titlist Israel Vasquez in what should be a shootout. Over on the other cable network the human wrecking ball Miguel Cotto is facing off a against unknown German Oktay Urkal, in what should be a slaughtering. Usually I am very angry, and would continue to bash the networks and the entire boxing world for airing such big fights at the same time. Today I am a little older, a slight bit more mature, a few beers deeper, and the proud owner of a DVR. These days opposing fight cards just means I will have something to watch while I have a cup of coffee and wish to god I hadn't had that last beer. My hangover feels especially good when someone takes a solid shot, cause hey, at least I'm not that guy. So, on Saturday night when Cotto is slaying Urkal, and Marquez is trading punches with Vazquez, I'll be pounding Bud Lights and looking forward to my morning coffee.