Zab Judah’s next fight is supposed to be for a junior welterweight world title because he is a mandatory challenger, and when he has it his promoter probably will be 50 Cent’s newly formed TMT Promotions.
Judah told ESPN.com on Tuesday that he had meetings in New York with 50 Cent — Curtis Jackson is the real name of the rap star — on Monday and Tuesday as they continued to negotiate a deal.
“I just left 50,” Judah said. “He’s a very interesting person. I’ve spent a lot of time with him when he was in (Las) Vegas (where Judah lives). We’ve been friends. I’ve been knowing 50 for a long time. His brain for business is phenomenal. We met Monday and (Tuesday). When you’re doing big things it takes time. Anything that comes fast is not worth it. We’re planning on doing it big.
“I like what 50 brings to the table. It’s a great game plan. I think it will be a very good situation that will play out in boxing. It’ll be something new and fresh.”
50 Cent recently received a promoters license in New York for TMT Promotions — “The Money Team,” named after what his partner and pal Floyd Mayweather Jr. calls his crew — and is in the application process in Nevada.
Judah said his contract with Main Events had run out and that he was a free agent. So will he be joining 50 Cent?
“Why not? I’m a free agent and I’m hearing my options, but TMT is the ideal place,” Judah said. “I know it’s a good place.”
TMT Promotions is either in discussions with or has already signed fighters such as former featherweight titlist Yuriorkis Gamboa following his contract settlement with Top Rank, super middleweight contender Andre Dirrell and featherweight titleholder Billy Dib of Australia.
And there is, of course, Mayweather, who is scheduled to be released from jail on Friday following a domestic abuse conviction. Whether Mayweather will have TMT, which he is part owner of, promote his fights or he will continue to work with Golden Boy Promotions remains to be seen. Golden Boy has promoted all of Mayweather’s fights since 2007 even though there was never a long-term contract between them.
“The team is phenomenal,” Judah said. “It’s gonna be a dream team to have Zab Judah, Floyd Mayweather, Dirrell, Gamboa, Dib all in one circle.”
Judah declined to go into any specifics related to 50 Cent’s plans.
“I don’t know if can tell that. I can’t let it out of the bag,” Judah said. “But 50 is a boxing promoter. It’s 100 percent real and he’s got big plans.”
Of his own impending deal with the company, Judah said, “It’ll be done. In the coming days. We’re just waiting on ‘Money May’ to come home (from jail).”
Judah (42-7, 29 KOs), 34, said there were no hard feelings between him and Kathy Duva’s Main Events. Main Events was his original promoter and then, after years apart, they reunited in 2010. Duva was instrumental in helping guide Judah to his third junior welterweight title in 2011. After losing it to Amir Khan in a unification bout last July, Duva secured Judah — also the former undisputed welterweight champion — a title eliminator against Vernon Paris. Judah knocked out Paris in the ninth round on March 24 to become titleholder Lamont Peterson’s mandatory challenger.
Peterson’s hold on the title is tenuous as he awaits a licensing hearing in Nevada following his positive drug test. If Peterson is licensed, Judah is supposed to be his next opponent. If Peterson is not licensed and stripped of the title, Judah would be ordered to face the IBF’s next leading available contender, Mike Alvarado.
“My contract with Main Events was up,” Judah said. “Kathy is a great promoter and she did a phenomenal job with my career and bringing me back but we came to the height of our situation. It was great for both of us and I give her and everyone at Main Events 100 percent respect. This is just business. I lived out the contract that we did and now I have this chance with 50.”
WRITTEN BY Dan Rafael | ESPN.com & FULL STORY HERE
