By Jim Dower: Former two division world champion Zab Judah (41-7, 28 KO’s) faces undefeated Vernon Paris (26-0, 15 KO’s) in a scheduled 12 round bout in an IBF light welterweight title eliminator at the Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn, New York. Judah, 34, hasn’t fought since losing his International Boxing Federation 140 pound title to WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan last July in their unification bout in Las Vegas.

Judah looked terrible in losing to Khan. It wasn’t just Judah’s lack of hand speed in comparison to the younger 25-year-old Khan, it was that Judah, #3 IBF, #5 WBA, looked like he didn’t want to get hit and do the things he had to in order to win the fight. He eventually took a beating and was stopped in the 5th round.

Paris, 24, is another fighter that Judah will have to take a lot of shots if he’s going to beat him. Judah probably isn’t going to be able to stop Paris, #4 IBF, early in the fight and that means Judah will have to be willing to mix it up with Paris in order to win a points decision. Paris is still very raw, as the best opponent he’s been in with thus far is Tim Coleman. Paris took a lot of head shots in beating Coleman by a 7th round stoppage last August. Paris was dropped in the 2nd but came back to knock Coleman down twice in the 6th and once in the 7th to get the stoppage.

Judah looked pretty shot in his fight against Khan, and I doubt he’ll look much better against the body punching Paris on Saturday. Judah is going to have to keep on the move to avoid Paris’ body shots, because if he tries to trad with him it could mean that Judah will take a beating and get stopped. He’s too old to take punishment.