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Boxing

Mayweather claims IBF crown

09/04/2006

Floyd Mayweather has claimed the IBF welterweight title with a unanimous points decision over Zab Judah.

Mayweather is thought of by many as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world and has now claimed titles in four different weight divisions.

The new champion was up against it in the earlier rounds but came through to assert his dominance and the judges awarded him the fight 116-112, 117-111 and 119-109.

It is the second crown that Judah has lost inside four months after the Brooklyn-born fighter lost the WBC title to Argentina's Carlos Baldomir in January.

Judah was at the centre of controversy in the 10th as an apparent low blow resulting in a farcas involving both corners.

Judah caught Mayweather low, resulting in the IBF champion's trainer, Roger Mayweather, entering the ring to confront Judah.

The WBA champion's corner then became involved, Judah was seen to throw a punch at one of Mayweather's cornermen and it took security teams to separate the warring factions.

The incident marred a good fight, which Judah dominated in the early rounds.

He came out aggressively and a powerful right-hand in the second had his opponent swaying.

Judah then had Mayweather pinned on the ropes in the fourth but the former IBF champion couldn't maintain his authority as Mayweather began to assert himself.

A powerful combination in the seventh was a sign of things to come and a cut had opened up on Judah's face by the ninth round.

However, after the low-blow incident, Mayweather coasted the final two rounds, often taunting Judah, to take the crown.

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