Brooklyn’s Zab Judah (36-5, 25 KOs) will trade punches with top-ranked contender Joshua Clottey (34-2, 20 KOs), from the Bronx on HBO’s Boxing After Dark, Saturday, August 2nd at 9:30 PM ET/PT. Judah spoke to BET.com about his fight on Saturday.

On his fight Saturday night against Joshua Clottey:

I am very excited just to be back and have this opportunity. It’s a chance for me to go down in the history books as the five-time champion of the world in three different weight divisions. It’s a beautiful accomplishment.

On the eight months off since his last fight:

We train for a long time and I have been a student of the game for years now. I have been boxing since I was 6 years old. There is not a style or a form of any person that can come to me that I haven’t seen or dealt with.

On his opponent, Joshua Clottey:

Joshua Clottey is a great fighter. He worked his way up to this point where he’s at now. He didn’t get here from being a garbage fighter. I definitely respect him for being a great fighter and competitor. But I just feel like right now is my time and if it’s Joshua Clottey or any of the other champions out here today, I’m going to take full advantage of the opportunity of where I’m at.

On the Brooklyn-raised Judah taking on Clottey, representing The Bronx:

It’s great because KRS-One stated this a long time ago. “The Bronx keeps on making it and Brooklyn keeps on taking it.” It’s a self-explanatory verse if you want to look at it from the hip-hop stand point. Come Saturday night, that’s all I’m trying to do. I’m trying to go in there and crush him.

On having his trainer and father, Yoel Judah, Nevada suspension lifted:

I never fought a fight without my dad in my corner. Even my last fight in Turks & Caicos, my dad was in my corner. I was only not able to have my dad in Vegas but now the suspension is uplifted and we have paid our debt back to Las Vegas. I think it’s going to be great. We relocated to Las Vegas and I’m loving it out here. I think the West Coast needs a little East Coast flavor.

On his maturity as a person and a boxer since the 2006 incident with Floyd Mayweather:

Maturity comes with time. Everyone matures at different times and eras in life. I feel like it’s my time to be an adult. I just turned 30 years old, I have children, my oldest daughter, she’s getting ready to go through driver’s education. So now she’s looking for cars and all that crazy stuff. Stuff like that makes you mature.

On the media’s portrayal of Judah:

I’m from Brooklyn. I’m great friends with Mike Tyson. I came up under the great Pernell Whitaker, who is another street person. A lot of the ways and error were from the people I came up with. I can’t help that. That’s just me. People should only judge me for the things that I do. Don’t be so hard. If I kick the door open, don’t give me 25-to-life and someone else kicks it open and you give him a slap on the wrist. Everything should be equal. Don’t say that’s Zab Judah, he has a history of trouble; we are going to give him more time than this guy.

• 
• 
• 

TAGS: Access Granted, Boxing, Zab Judah