Tszyu, Judah show faith in themselves

Dean Juipe

Friday, Nov. 2, 2001 | 11:04 a.m.

If confidence is a determining factor in a fight, Saturday's bout between Kostya Tszyu and Zab Judah at the MGM may end in a draw.

Both men, including their handlers, come across as supremely sure of themselves for a fight in the Grand Garden Arena that will unite the junior welterweight titles of boxing's three major sanctioning organizations.

Tszyu, the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association champion at 140 pounds, is 27-1-1 with 22 knockouts.

Judah, the International Boxing Federation champ, is 27-0 with 21 KOs.

Neither believes the other has what it takes to beat him.

"It's not that I'm dissin' Tszyu, but there's no way I'm going to lose this fight," Judah said. "This is my chance to go down in history and I'm going to grab it."

Conversely, Tszyu believes he holds all the advantages in a fight that's a variation of the classic "boxer vs. puncher" pairing that showcases one man's renowned power against the other's vaunted speed.

"It's my destiny to win this fight," he said. "It won't be easy, but it also won't be like he thinks it's going to be. He doesn't realize it yet, but he's not going to be able to handle the pressure that I'm going to put on him from the start."

Bettors in the MGM sports book have sided with Judah thus far and have bet him up from an opening minus 250 to where he is now a minus 340 favorite. Tszyu is now a plus 260 after opening at a plus 200 a month ago.

It's a minus 130 that the fight will not go its scheduled 12 rounds, and even that it will.

"It's Zab's speed, youth and zest versus one of the world's greatest fighters," said Tszyu's manager, Vlad Wharton. "I'm sure everyone will appreciate this fight once it happens."

Tickets are readily available for a card that begins at 4:30 p.m. and will be televised by the Showtime cable network. The main event is tentative for 8:15.

"People don't realize how difficult it is to pull off a unification fight," said Showtime's Jay Larkin. "It doesn't usually happen because either the fighters or their managers are afraid to the take the risks."

Larkin went on to hypothesize that Tszyu vs. Judah will be the equal of the greatest fights at this weight in history, although that will take some doing. To date, the best remembered fights at 140 pounds would include: Julio Cesar Chavez over Meldrick Taylor by 12th round TKO, March 17, 1990, in Las Vegas; Aaron Pryor over Alexis Arguello by 10th round knockout, Sept. 9, 1983, in Las Vegas; and Pryor over Arguello by 14th round knockout, Nov. 12, 1982, in Miami.

Whether Tszyu vs. Judah is comparable to its memorable forerunners remains to be seen, but it won't measure up from a competitive standpoint if Judah's father -- and trainer -- has it pegged correctly.

"Tszyu is tailor-made for us ... he's perfect," Yoel Judah said. "We understand what we're up against but this fight is ours. We're ready for anything that goes down."

Judah's dazzling quickness will be on display as he looks to add to his reputation at the expense of a steady, if unspectacular slugger who was a world champion before Judah had even turned pro.

Tszyu, who will receive $550,000 plus a hefty percentage of the pay-per-view receipts in Australia (where he lives), turned pro in 1992 and was a world champion three years later. He has fought a number of solid fighters and his best wins have come against Miguel Angel Gonzalez (at the height of the latter's career) in 1999 and Chavez last year.

"I wouldn't swap Kostya for anybody," said his trainer, Johnny Lewis. "We're very confident, in the same manner that they are."

A counterpuncher by trade, Tszyu brought a stoic presence to Thursday's final prefight press conference.

"He's the one who's stepping up," he said in reference to Judah. "I have my own motivation and I'm very focused. I don't see me losing."

Judah, who will receive $1 million for the fight, is seven years younger than Tszyu at 25 and dodging a reputation that includes a questionable chin. He has tasted the canvas three times in his career, twice from big hits, yet rebounded to win each of those bouts and, to date, has never been conquered although it has come mostly against B-level competition.

Tszyu is clearly his toughest opponent in what is now a six-year pro career.

"I guess his experience counts for something," Judah said. "But it's my time now. He's not going to win."