Garcia and Judah Kept Apart at Weigh-In; Broner and Paulie Jaw in BK

The promoter part of me wanted Danny Garcia and Zab Judah to do a faceoff, a staredown, after weighing in at Barclays Center today, but the actual promoters, Golden Boy, thought the better of it. They decided to have Garcia weigh in, and leave, and then have Judah come out, and step on the scale. They didn’t want any chances taken on a rumble breaking out before the scheduled Saturday scrap, which will run on Showtime. Smart move, I grudgingly say, considerig the weigh in was open to the public and it was probably best not to take a chance that rooters for either man possibly get riled up and cause problems.

Garcia-Judah, a defense of Garcia’s 140 pound crowns, tops the Brooklyn bill, with the first fight set for 4:30 PM.

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Garcia did indeed make weight, which is saying something for a weigh in session that saw more men dropping trou than on an adult film shoot. Middleweight Peter Quillin and foe Fernando Guerrero both were over, and received an hour to carve off excess. Quillin had to lose 1 1/2 pounds, and speculation was that he wouldn’t even bother, as people noted that he took the time to pose for photogs, and chat with Showtime’s Steve Farhood on camera, before taking off to sweat off that last stubborn bit. But to his credit, Quillin did it; he went and shadowboxed in the sun, he told us, and came back and made weight. Guerrero only had to lose four tenths of a pound and he too did what he had to do to make the limit.

Judah (seen in above Tom Casino-Showtime photo, with Danny Jacobs, left, and Marcus Browne, right) too had to get nude to make 140, as he was an ounce or two over.

That wasn’t the only drama at Barclays; Adrien Broner heckled Paul Malignaggi as Paulie was doing a TV hit, and they jawed at each other for the next ten minutes. Insults were exchanged, but it stayed within the realm of good, healthy trashtalking, if just barely. 135 pound champ Broner accused Paulie, the WBA’s welterweight champion, of not being nice to a lady Broner knows, while Paulie referenced Broner’s problems with the law from his younger days. After, Paulie told TSS that it was all good, that he’s actually been yearning for a fight like this where he’s paired with someone who is in his arena as a trashtalker. “This is easy bread,” Broner said to the Brooklyn born LA resident, while Paulie dismissed him as “Baby Floyd” and said that he was given his 135 pound belt, and he didn’t earn it. When Malignaggi busted on Broner’s record, Broner would often spin off, and attack Malignaggi’s wardrobe. They will tussle on June 22, at Barclays, with many if not the vast majority of pundits going out on the limb and saying Broner’s skill and youth will be too much for Malignaggi. Paulie was telling press at Barclays that Broner had trouble with Daniel Ponce de Leon and doesn’t react well when challenged. Paulie promised to take him to an uncomfortable place, where he’ll have to decide if he wants to soldier on. I like the fight, because I like seeing Paulie get these meaty challenges.

So, if you enjoyed a trashtalk war, this weigh-in was the place to be for you, and if you like seeing nude boxers, same thing. Luis Collazo’s foe, Miguel Callist, was four tenths over the limit and had to strip to satisfy the scale. Prospect Eddie Gomez also had to get naked to make weight, and he made 151, satisfying his contract.

Oscar de la Hoya shook his head and told TSS that he never missed weight, and said he and Bernard Hopkins, who was present, said he too never missed weight. De la Hoya also said there were no hard feelings between him and Zab Judah; they had words on Wednesday, when Judah took issue with Oscar saying he was “unprofessional” for not showing up at the press conference. Oscar said he knows fight week is tense, and said he was just reacting to the information he had at hand. But, Oscar said, he apologizes if Zab took offense, that wasn’t his intention.

Quillin told TSS that making 160 isn’t an issue, but that he is still taking to a new regimen, particularly eating. Rob Garcia, his strength and conditioning coach, has him eating more small meals and apparently he hasn’t yet acclimated to that. Trainer Eric Brown said next fight they should have that smoothed out.