ST LOUIS, MO - Cory Spinks brought championship boxing back to St. Louis on Saturday night, but by the time the night was over, his three world title belts were gone.
A crowd of 22,370 at Savvis Center saw what most of them didn't want to see. Challenger Zab Judah, who had lost to Spinks in April, controlled most of the fight and rocked Spinks twice in the ninth for a technical knockout victory that made him the new undisputed world welterweight champion.
Judah knocked Spinks to the canvas with a combination of punches with about a minute to go in the round, and Spinks was obviously in distress. Though back on his feet, he clearly was woozy and desperately needed the round to end for a chance to clear his head.
But another flurry from Judah, punctuated with a left, put Spinks into the ropes, and he was headed down for a second time before referee Armando Garcia stopped the fight with 11 seconds to go in the round.
Judah, 33-2 (24 KOs) takes Spinks' WBC, WBA and IBF belts. Spinks falls to 34-3 (11 KOs). Judah was ahead on all three judges' cards at the time the fight ended.
The disappointment in the crowd was evident - chairs were thrown as a small brawl started in the stands - and it was evident for Spinks, too, who had eagerly looked forward to defending his titles in St. Louis.
"I'm very disappointed," Spinks said in the ring after the fight. "I let a lot of people down, but I have to hold my head up. I have to take this like a man."
The series between Spinks and Judah is even at one win apiece, and Spinks would like to have a third meeting with Judah. Judah said he would be open to a rematch and would even let the fight be in St. Louis. "I'll do whatever Don King wants to do," he said.
"Oh, yeah, I want to fight him again," Spinks said. "This was a good fight. He caught me with a good shot. He deserves credit, he caught me with a good shot. I was a little groggy. I gave him a chance. I hope he gives me one in return."
Had Garcia not stopped the fight, Spinks' trainer, Kevin Cunningham, said he would have. "I had no problem with the ref stopping it when he did," Cunningham said. "I was going up the steps to stop it myself. This just wasn't Cory's night."
Spinks was taken to a hospital after the fight to be checked out and did not appear at the postmatch news conference.
Judah obviously had learned from the first fight, when he came out tentatively and lost most of the early rounds to Spinks en route to losing a unanimous decision.
"Hunger and determination was the difference in this fight," Judah said. "I begged and prayed for a second chance after the first fight. I took a big risk moving up from 140 pounds to 147 pounds, and Cory was my first fight at welterweight.
"Spinks did exactly what I thought he'd do. He was running from my left hand, which made him pull back and let me take it to his body."
It was the first loss for Spinks since he lost his first chance at a title, to Michele Piccirillo, in April of 2002. He had won five fights since then, four by decision.
The first six rounds saw the two boxers use their quickness to avoid each other. In the seventh round, Judah began to do damage to Spinks. Late in the round, he caught Spinks with a left, a right and a left that seemed to leave Spinks weak in the knees. Spinks fell to the canvas, but Garcia ruled it a slip. Still, Spinks looked worse for wear as he headed to the corner and Judah did a little dance after the round.
In an eventful eighth round that brought the crowd to its feet, Spinks came back to assert himself. Spinks was taken aback after getting hit on the mouth by Judah in a clench but then responded with punches that did some damage to Judah.
It was a historic night at Savvis Center, with 22,370 fans on hand, making it the largest boxing crowd at an indoor arena other than a domed stadium. There was a deafening roar as Spinks entered the ring, escorted by another big name in St. Louis, rap star Nelly.
The two danced their way into the ring, followed by Spinks' championship belts, as many of the fans moved in rhythm to the music. Judah, who as the challenger was already in the ring, paced back and forth along the ropes as he waited.
Many of the fans came wearing Mardi Gras beads from the day's other big local event. The crowd included Spinks' father, former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, and another former champ from St. Louis, Terronn Millett. Also in the crowd was a collection of St. Louis sports dignitaries, including Ozzie Smith, Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Keith Tkachuk.
Spinks earned $1.2 million for the fight; Judah, who held two minor titles, was paid $100,000. The glove issue, which had bothered Spinks' trainer the day before, had been settled Friday night, with Judah agreeing to wear Grants, the gloves of choice for Spinks.
John Sands
Midwest Correspondent
Information from other publications and wire services was used in the compilation of this report.
