Judah vs Clottey this weekend; Brooklyn faces off against the Bronx!

This weekend at the Palms Resort in Las Vegas, NV, Former Undisputed Welterweight Champion Zab Judah of Brooklyn NY will face Bronx native Joshua Clottey for the vacant IBF Welterweight Championship.

This weekend's title fight marks Clottey's 2nd attempt to challenge for a world title, with the first opportunity coming against Antonio Margarito for the WBO welterweight title in December of 2006. Clottey got off to a tremendous start, clearly winning the first rounds, but hurt his hands in the middle rounds, allowing the defending champion to rally down the stretch and retain his title with a close decision win.

Following the disappointing loss to Margarito, Clottey faced off against the late and great Diego Corrales. Clottey won a convincing unanimous decision over Corrales, who passed away in a tragedy almost a month later. Clottey has also amassed victories over Richard Gutierrez, Felix Flores, and Shamone Alvarez, in what was an IBF welterweight title eliminator that earned him this title shot. In his last fight in April, Clottey looked impressive dismantling Jose Luis Cruz and stopping him in five rounds.

Judah, who won the undisputed title with a knockout over Cory Spinks in February of 2005, has been in three welterweight title fights in over two years and lost three of them. In January of 2006, Judah lost his welterweight title to 15-1 underdog Carlos Baldomir by unanimous decision, in what was Ring Magazine's "Upset of the Year." A few months later, Judah would lose another decision to the guy who was regarded as the best pound for pound fighter in the world at the time --Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

The year 2006 was clearly one to forget for the Brooklyn native, who was suspended for a year after a scuffle that transpired in the ring in the 10th round of the Mayweather fight. After a year of inactivity, and a one-round no contest with perennial contender Rubin Galvan, Judah would get another title shot against defending WBA champion Miguel Cotto. Cotto punished Judah and stopped him in eleven rounds. Since the loss to Cotto, Judah has returned with a couple of wins over the likes of Edwin Vasquez and Ryan Davis.

That's brings us to this weekend's showdown between two of the top welterweight contenders in the world. Being that this is Brooklyn vs Bronx, why is this fight taking place in Las Vegas rather than Madison Square Garden in New York???? In any case...

Prediction: Clottey by unanimous decision