Count Yoel Judah as another veteran boxing expert who strongly believes Manny Pacquiao will destroy Floyd Mayweather, if they are ever to enter a boxing ring together.
The three-time world champion kick boxer and 7th degree blackbelt martial artist was present at his son Zab’s press conference at Hudson Bread in North Bergen on Tuesday afternoon.
Mr. Judah is well-respected for the work he has done in developing his sons Zab, Daniel and Josiah to become successful professional boxers and his observations and opinions about all major fights are always sincere and interesting.
His take on Pacquiao vs. Mayweather is certainly no exception.
On his way out of the building after the conference, I asked Yoel Judah who would win Pac or Floyd? “Never happen,” was his immediate, firm reply.
I was ready for such an answer and countered with, Mayweather scared?
Yoel Judah: “No. Pacquiao’s not gonna take the blood test 16 days before the fight.”
When I informed Mr. Judah that Pacquiao had already agreed to 14 days.” he responded: “He agreed to 14?”
“Yes.”
Judah: “He just did?”
“No, it was several weeks ago.”
Judah again took a negative stance about the fight that everybody wants to see, “No, but something else came up where they ain’t gonna…(Judah cut off his own sentence and then said)…I don’t see the fight happening.”
Sensing another George Peterson moment where Judah might not even think about how the fight would play out, just insisting it would “never happen, some fights aren’t meant to be made,” I asked again to Mr. Judah, “If it did happen, who would win?”
To my surprise, there was not even a tenth of a second hesitation from Yoel Judah, who answered with total certainty in his voice, “Pacquiao.”
As we were walking out of the Hudson Bread building, I asked, “Why? Tell me why?”
Here is what Yoel Judah said as we hastily walked out to his car with bags of food and high quality Hudson bread in each hand, “Because he (Pacquiao) put the fight in the bank, he put the punches in – he throws so many punches. He’s too busy for Floyd. Floyd is a slick fighter, smart and everything. But I think Pacquiao is too busy. He’s too busy. Too busy.”
Short, sweet and directly to the point. Mr. Judah then slipped into his ride as I thanked him and wished he and Zab good luck on Friday night in their fight at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ against Jose Armando Santa Cruz.
32-year-old Zab Judah (38-6, 26 KO’s) will meet Santa Cruz in a 10-round junior welterweight bout which will be televised by ESPN2.
Earlier, I asked Zab Judah who he thought would win – Pac or Floyd – to which he picked Mayweather because of his defense. And the younger Judah added that he believes Pacquiao will have trouble landing effectively on Floyd.
