Sworn Enemies? Fans Can’t Believe Their Eyes as Floyd Mayweather Unites With Old Foe

Floyd Mayweather Jr., without an iota of doubt, has one of the greatest success stories of boxing. ‘The Money’ won a bronze medal at the Atlanta Olympics and went professional by October 11 of the same year, 1996. The following decade, the world saw him winning the first title, WBC Super Featherweight, in 1998. Then, aiming a bit higher, he won the WBC and The Ring’s Lightweight title in 2002 while retaining the Super Featherweight belt. His journey continued, and Mayweather Jr. onboarded another higher division and won WBC Super Lightweight against famed Arturo Gatti in 2005.

Not one to rest on his hard-won laurels, ‘The Money’ zeroed in on the IBF and IBO Welterweight titles. However, his adversary was unlike his past opponents. Coming from an acclaimed boxing family, Zab ‘Super’ Judah took up gloves at the age of six. Preceded by a storied amateur journey, he debuted in the same year as Mayweather did, in 1996. Some nine years later, he won the WBA, WBC, IBF, and the Ring Welterweight titles against former Heavyweight legend Leon Spink’s son Cory Spinks. But things were about to change a year later.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Zab Judah squared off in a boxing ring

“Sworn Enemies” was a highly anticipated fight on April 8, 2006, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Paradise, Nevada. The bout featured (at the time) three-division champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. facing off against Welterweight champion Zab Judah, with the IBF Welterweight belt on the line.

The fight that started on a great note gained notoriety for an ugly brawl. So fans were surprised when they saw a short video clip on YouTube filmed by Judah. Uploaded by @fighthype, it shows Judah steering the camera at the recently held NFL Pro Bowl 2023 in Nevada. But towards the end, it zeroes on the legend Floyd Mayweather Jr.! The bonhomie was evident for fans to type in their thoughts and views.

The presence of the two legends sparks heated discussion amongst their devoted fans

@redcypher1444 commented that Judah, the only fighter matching Floyd’s speed in the ring, was himself.

@24bigcoop elaborated that both Mayweather Jr. and Judah have a long-standing acquaintance, having met when they started their careers. They used to attend Pernell Whitaker’s training camps together. Although they had a minor disagreement, they are not officially in dispute with each other now.

@connormason4259 shared that Zab Judah posed the most significant challenge to Floyd Mayweather in the ring. He saw with pleasure that they had repaired their relationship.

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Throwing some light on the Mayweather Jr. – Judah terms, @erikwright8354 said that throughout their careers, they maintained a strong friendship. They approached their tasks professionally and efficiently. If the situation had involved Shane Mosley, the outcome might have been different, but these two had a different dynamic.

“Sworn Enemies” was the billing for the match between Mayweather Jr. and Judah, as highlighted by @realtalk1099.

@NoBiasAllBoxing took a different approach. They mentioned that the duo had no significant conflict with each other but ended up in a physical altercation. Judah was a “sore loser” who couldn’t handle defeat gracefully, leading to the initiation of the fight.

The bout will go down in the history books for all the wrong reasons

Mayweather Jr. remained composed despite Judah’s initial aggression. However, as the fight progressed to the fifth round, he began to gain the upper hand, and Judah ultimately fell, bleeding. Late in the tenth round, Judah hit Mayweather with a left hook which landed below the belt, followed by a right-handed ‘rabbit punch.’

During the time out called in by the referee, ‘Money’s’ uncle Roger Mayweather attempted to approach Judah. However, the referee intervened, and Yoel Judah, ‘Super’s’ father and coach, tagged along. The ring was filled with people, and a commotion broke out. Finally, the police and security diffused the situation. The fight continued with a disqualification handed over to Roger Mayweather. ‘The Money’ won the twelve-round bout with a unanimous decision.

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What is your take on the YouTube shorts? Do share your views and thoughts with us in the comments below.