His level of joy was palpable, his mood was ebullient as he soaked in the juices of victory.

Zab Judah, age 38, a two-division champion, had had his hand raised after a marathon tussle with a foe a weight class or two higher than his customary class.

This opponent came to the arena with a heavy rep and enviable record. The Nevada State Athletic Commission – a heavyweight authority, an oversight body which the Brooklyn native had worked with, and sparred some with before – and Judah, wearing his promoter hat, went back and forth on Tuesday.

The judges’ scores, so to speak, were tallied. The verdict, to Judah’s liking – he’d been suspended for presenting falsified documentation for a card promoted by Roy Engelbrecht and fighting on March 12 – had him pleased as punch.

The suspension was lifted, and Judah says he’s in good standing with the Nevada people, though he still has to jump through some hoops to fight again. “I’m really happy. God is good. I knew I had done nothing wrong and there it is,” Judah told THE RING.

As detailed in a story by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Judah was chided for not having provided his correct social security number in the past – dodgy, considering he owes child support – and not disclosing a prior felony situation, but the Commission decided that the four months he was suspended was punishment enough for that. (Engelbrecht was suspended for 18 months.) “I was angry at the Commission going in, I could have fought and (earned a considerable sum) in that time, but you have to move on when you want God to shine on you. I’m concentrating now on being a six-time champ. Would I be promoting in Nevada again? Our team will be discussing that and the next fight.”

Bill Halkias has been right-hand man to Judah for many moons. He told THE RING, “Zab just feels vindicated … The media ripped him apart; meanwhile he did nothing wrong. Also, Zab always dealt with child support before every fight. That agency is very happy with how we deal with them. They always write letters of satisfaction before each fight. As a matter of fact, the promoter had a letter of satisfaction from child support three to four weeks prior to the fight date. But we are just happy that NSAC came to the correct conclusion and gave Zab his license so that he can have the opportunity to win his sixth title.”

The Las Vegas resident, sporting a 42-9 record, stood before a Commission tribunal before, in 2006, after his bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr. deteriorated into a fracas and then rumble among corners and posses.

But he wants to look forward, vowing to not let anyone else fill out paperwork on his behalf, and also to memorize his social security number. “I want anyone at the top at 140,” Judah continued. “I’m not going to call them out or lower myself doing that. I have a track record and I’m still at 140! I debuted as a pro at 140! I’m always working out, playing sports.” The lefty from Brownsville spoke of “maybe” gloving up in July or August.

He last gloved up in 2013, losing to Paul Malignaggi. A fight last year was scheduled, but then scrapped when he fought with the foe at the weigh-in. He has been on point with his weight, and has had a lengthy run of being out of the metro pages for out-of-the-ring hijinks. So there are positive elements to point to for his rooters, and for people who like to see such spirited souls smooth out and enjoy a drama-free run. It’ll be a hard lift, at 38, off for so long, to win a title, but there are a couple weak links atop the 140 mountain, so, stranger things have happened than Judah getting another crack at a crown.