LAS VEGAS, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- It will be the puncher against the boxer Saturday night when WBA and WBC super lightweight champion Kostya Tszyu meets IBF junior lightweight champ Zab Judah to unify the 140-pound crown.
The winner will be boxing's third unified champion. Roy Jones consolidated the light heavyweight titles in 1999, and last month, Bernard Hopkins had a 12th-round knockout of previously undefeated Felix Trinidad to unify the middleweight crown.
Tszyu, a power puncher who was born in Russia and lives in Australia, has taken on top caliber opponents and is appearing in his 14th title fight. But it figures to be his sternest test in years.
"I do not think he has faced the kind of fighters that I have," Tszyu said. "Fighters with much less power than me have knocked him down. If I crack him right--and I will--it will be over."
Tszyu (27-1-1, 22 KOs) captured his first title with an impressive power punching display in his Las Vegas debut in 1995. An international amateur star but unknown to the American fight audience, Tszyu burst on the scene when he stopped southpaw Jake Rodriguez in the sixth round to capture the IBF junior welterweight crown.
Tszyu made five successful defenses and was on a collision course to meet Oscar de la Hoya in 1997 before suffering a stunning 10th-round technical knockout loss to American Vince Phillips.
He passed his first real test since losing the title three fights later. In one of his best performances, Tszyu dominated former champ Rafael Ruelas en route to a ninth-round stoppage in August 1998. He captured a share of the interim WBC super lightweight title in a wild brawl with Diobelys Hurtado.
In August 1999, Tszyu earned a full share of the WBC 140-pound title with a one-sided victory over former lightweight titleholder Miguel Angel Gonzalez. He retained the belt with lopsided stoppages of an overmatched Ahmed Santos and an aging Juilo Cesar Chavez.
Last February, Tszyu unified the WBA and WBC titles when Sharmba Mitchell was unable to continue at the end of the seventh round after aggravating a knee injury.
Tszyu should have his hands full with the younger, faster Judah, who hopes to celebrate his 24th birthday.
A heralded amateur, Judah (26-0, 20 KOs, 1 no contest) was an alternate on the 1996 U.S Olympic team. As a pro, he has all the talent to be a superstar but has had occasional mental lapses.
In February 2000, Judah survived a flash knockdown in the second round before disposing of South Africa's Jan Bergman in the fourth to capture the vacant IBF junior welterweight championship.
Judah was unimpressive in a voluntary title defense against Junior Witter in Glasgow, Scotland. He tasted the canvas for the second time in his career in his next defense before stopping former champ Terronn Millett two rounds later.
Judah also posted TKOs over Hector Quiroz and Reggie Green but again fought to the level of his opponents.
On the undercard, boxing's fastest rising prospect, Francisco Bojado, meets veteran Mauro Lucero. Bojado (8-0, 8 KOs), a babyfaced 18-year-old, was the youngest member of the 2000 Mexican Olympic team.
