After stopping Cory Spinks in February 2005 to win the Undisputed welterweight championship Zab Judah had made one successful defence, scoring a 3rd round TKO over Cosme Rivera in May, before agreeing to big money bout with WBC Light Welterweight Champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., which was tentatively scheduled for April 2006. In the meantime Judah agreed to a tuneup bout as a New York homecoming against the largely unknown Carlos Baldomir.[2][3] The IBF and WBA belts were not on the line, because Baldomir had apparently not paid the sanctioning fees to the IBF and WBA, although Baldomir's camp later claimed that neither organization had ever approached them about paying the fees.[3]
Judah entered the fight as a 10-to-1 favorite to win.[4]
In the tenth round Mormeck was floored by a after an array of power punches, the first time in his career he been knocked down. Referee Wayne Kelly waved it off at the count of five, making Bell the new Undisputed cruiserweight champion.[6][7]
Main Event
During the prefight introductions, instead of touching gloves to show sportsmanship, Judah unsportingly punched Baldomir on the thigh, earning a rebuke from referee Arthur Mercante Jr.. The early rounds of the fight were close, but as the rounds passed, Judah was doing less than necessary to win, while Baldomir kept applying pressure on Judah.[8] In round seven, Judah was hurt by a right hand and Baldomir landed a series of right hands to Judah's head along the ropes during the tenth round. Baldomir defeated Judah by unanimous decision with scores of 115–113, 114–113 and 115–112 from the three judges.[9][10]
Aftermath
With the victory Baldomir won the lineal, WBC and The Ring titles. Meanwhile the WBA elevated "Regular" titleholder Luis Collazo, while the IBF still recognized Judah as champion. The welterweight division would remain split for 17 and half years until Terence CrawforddefeatedErrol Spence Jr. in July 2023.[11]The Ring named Baldomir's victory over Judah the upset of the year for 2006.
With the loss to Baldomir, it appeared that Judah's much anticipated bout with Mayweather was off, but Judah's promoter Don King and Mayweather's promoter Bob Arum reworked the deals so the fight would go on.[12]
^Abramson, Mitch (January 8, 2006). "Baldomir Upsets Judah". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 22, 2009. Retrieved May 12, 2008.
