Zab Judah takes Cory Spinks' belts....

Porrr Cory Spinks (and no, that's not a typo, that's a St. Louis spelling). It was really supposed to be his night. He could not have had better conditions....Judah agreed to fight him in front of his hometown crowd, at the heighth of the St. Louis Mardi Gras, with over 20,000 St. Louis sports fans who haven't had anything to cheer about at the Savvis Center this season, missing their Blues. He danced in to the ring, with Nelly personally providing the musical accompaniment. The parade to the ring was a little less flashy than the Mardi Gras parade, but every bit as long. The notorious hometown pride of St. Louis, having already been expressed by the deafening roar of "boos!!" as Judah entered the ring, was in full swing with Nelly. Even the big white guys in suits were shaking their asses. Cory even got to choose the gloves. It was really supposed to be his night.

And at first, there was no indication that it wouldn't be. He kept it tight for the first six rounds, fighting his fight, and staying away from that inside trading that is Judah's forte. He kept his jab out there, got in, got out....but Judah was all business. He kept his mind on his game, and his eyes open. By the seventh round, he got in a good shot on Spinks that made him "slip" a couple of steps later....a prelude to that punch in the ninth that sent Spinks reeling like Wile E. Coyote after an anvil to the head. There's already talk of a rematch.

'Round here, on Friday and Saturday nights, it's a father/daughter bonding time tradition to watch the fights. So far, my little one doesn't have the stamina to last 'till the end; she usually falls asleep on the couch before the second fight. She'll get more interested the older she gets, ;-)!

For the Post-Dispatch take on the fight, go here; for the photos, go here.