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After getting more or less routed by Paulie Malignaggi last night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, there are renewed doubts about where Zab Judah fits into the boxing landscape, as his days as a legitimate contender now have to be considered over by just about everyone following a truly lackluster performance.
Judah, 36, told Showtime's Jim Gray after the fight that Malignaggi (33-5, 7 KO) was content to stay on the outside.
"I came to fight and so did Paulie," he said. "It just wasn't there. This was a great opportunity and a great event. I wanted to be the King of Brooklyn. He wasn't tougher than me. He stayed on the outside and didn't engage."
Judah (42-9, 29 KO) seemed simply lost during much of the fight, unable to pull the trigger and unable to cope with the jab of Malignaggi, which dominated the action. Zab did have moments when he let his hands go, but they were truly few and far between. Even his father and trainer Yoel Judah shouting at him in the corner couldn't get Zab to wake up for more than a moment.
Is Judah done as a relevant fighter, or was this a case of Malignaggi simply having a lot more left in the tank and a better game plan? Did Zab look disinterested to you last night, which is something the Showtime team pushed on TV?