October 31, 2007

  • Duddy vs. Eastman

     

     

    Eastman promising Duddy Fright Night at the Kings Hall

    Howard Eastman

    Howard Eastman will be out to turn John Duddy’s Kings Hall dream into a nightmare when they clash at the legendary Belfast venue on Saturday, December 8th on the next Hunky Dorys Fight Night – billed "The Only Show in Town".

    Eastman looks set to provide the Derry middleweight with the sternest test yet of his 22 fight unbeaten career and his CV makes for impressive reading.

    The London based Guyana native goes by the sobriquet of the "Battersea Bomber" and with 35 KO’s from his 42 wins he certainly lives up to the name.

    Eastman’s 13 year pro career has seen him compile an awe inspiring CV – a two time world title challenger he has enjoyed lengthy reigns as European, Commonwealth and British middleweight champion.

    However the bare statistics don’t begin to explain the glorious career of a man who is often touted as one of the best British fighters to never win a world title. Eastman however still believes there is time to rectify that and a win over Duddy would put him right back in the frame for a third world title tilt.

    There was certainly no shame in his previous two bids at world level, a controversial majority decision defeat to WBA champ William Joppy in 2001 and a second points defeat to then undisputed middleweight kingpin Bernard Hopkins in 2005.

    Eastman though will be entering the lions den on December 8th when he tackles Duddy in front of what’s likely to be an electric atmosphere at the Kings Hall. Duddy simply can’t wait for his debut at the historic Balmoral venue and he is relishing the challenge that Eastman will present.

    The Derryman said, "It’s going to be amazing, it doesn’t get much better than fighting a guy with Eastman’s reputation at the Kings Hall. He’s had almost twice as many KO’s as I’ve had fights so that tells you everything about him. He has an amazing record and there’s no doubt he’s a very dangerous man.

    Promoter Brian Peters feels it’s a fight that will bring Belfast fight fans back to the halcyon days of the mid 1980’s when Barry McGuigan packed out the same venue.

    Peters said, "I suppose it’s only natural that with John fighting at the Kings Hall now people are going to compare him to the likes of Barry McGuigan and the greats who have fought there before. When McGuigan beat the world class Juan La Porte at the Kings Hall it proved he was ready for the world title and I think this will be the same kind of fight for John. If he can beat a guy like Eastman then I think he’s certainly ready for that big world title fight next year but getting past Eastman will be a big, big test for John."

    The undercard for "The Only Show in Town" is already shaping up to be one of the best at the Kings Hall in years. Undefeated prospects Paul McCloskey and Stephen Haughian will feature in their first ever scheduled 12 round bouts.

    Haughian will take a huge step up in class when he looks to relieve Italian Giammario Grassellini of his IBF Intercontinental welterweight title. It looks to be a big ask for the Lurgan man – the Italian holds a European ranking and has only suffered a single split decision defeat in 19 professional bouts. In his last outing he shared a draw with former European champion Michel Trabant.

    However despite Grassellini’s impressive credentials trainer John Breen believes both Haughian and McCloskey are ready to win their first professional titles. The Belfast man said, "Both boys have been waiting for chances like this and now that they have them they’ll grab them, I’ve no doubt about that."

    McCloskey’s opponent for the IBF Intercontinental light welterweight title will be confirmed in the coming days. Two other title fights on the show will feature a pair of all Ulster battles with Irish title belts at stake in the light welterweight and light middleweight divisions.

    At light welter recently crowned Northern Ireland champion James Gorman from Belfast goes up against undefeated Cavan prospect Andrew Murray. Then in an all Belfast battle Ciaran Healy will contest the vacant Irish light middleweight title with Leeds based Lagansider Lee Murtagh.

    Also on the card is undefeated Belfast prospect Willie Thompson who will go in search of his fourth straight win in the paid ranks. Further bouts will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

    Tickets for "The Only Show in Town" priced from £40 go on sale from Ticketmaster.ie and all usual outlets next week.

October 29, 2007

  • Duddy confirms dream date at Kings Hall

    Duddy_Strickland2

    John Duddy will fulfil a long held ambition on December 8th when he headlines a massive night of boxing at the legendary Kings Hall in Belfast.

    The unbeaten Derry middleweight will follow in the footsteps of legendary local fighters such as Rinty Monaghan, Freddie Gilroy, Johnny Caldwell, Barry McGuigan, Dave McAuley and Wayne McCullough when he ducks between the ropes at the famous old venue.

    It promises to be a real treat for Belfast fight fans and Duddy can’t wait. "I’ve always wanted to fight at the Kings Hall and now I’m going to get the opportunity. When I turned professional the two venues I wanted to fight in were Madison Square Garden in New York and the Kings Hall. I’ve been lucky enough to fight at the Garden now a few times so to add the Kings Hall to the list will be something special."

    The venue has always been synonymous with boxing but it really came to the world’s attention in the mid 80’s when Barry McGuigan headlined there en route to winning the world title. Duddy is hoping that that his career can follow a similar route. The 28-year-old said, "Obviously everyone knows about the Kings Hall from the McGuigan days. That’s over 20 years ago now but people still talk about the atmosphere during those nights and it would be great if we were able to generate that kind of atmosphere again in December."

    While plans to face world middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik are on the backburner for the time being Duddy feels he is closing in on a world title fight. "Definitely that’s something to look forward to for next year but obviously I need to keep winning and that’s what I intend doing again on December 8th.

    Promoter Brian Peters says he’s delighted to be bringing big time boxing back to Belfast. "There probably isn’t too many other cities with the kind of boxing tradition that Belfast enjoys but to be honest the fight fans there have been a bit starved of big fights in the last few years. This promises to be an absolutely terrific night of top class boxing. John is going to have a real fight on his hands and I will be confirming his opponent later this week at a press conference in Belfast. I’m looking at a number of attractive matches for the undercard too including a number of title fights. I think it’s going to be a real value for money card and the kind of fight night that will remind people of the great nights at the Kings Hall down through the years."

October 27, 2007

  • Watch the last fight on MSG

    M.S.G. (Madison Square Garden) channel will be re-airing the John Duddy vs. Prince Arron fight on Nov.3 at 4:30 p.m. ET. This is a chance for anyone who missed it, to see not only the fight, but hear the song, kind of a John Duddy Anthem, sung right before the fight. Set your recorders up. Also Ricky Hatton is in the house because his brother is fighting.

October 20, 2007

  • John Duddy Dethrones Prince!

    John Duddy won a quick victory over a taller but younger foe, Prince Arron. I predicted this much and sent a text to my friends saying so: "Duddy in 2"

       Prior to John was Ricky Hatton's brother who won and looked good doing so.

    After that was Furlan vs. Macklin. Duddy had recently defeated Furlan. Macklin looked o.k. but Furlan didn't do anything in the ring, so it wasn't hard to look good. Again I ask, how do boxers train for weeks, then get in the ring and do nothing? ( Shannon Briggs just lost a title fight this way). No body wins with a good defense, period. YOU HAVE TO THROW PUNCHES! HELLO?!

       Getting back to Duddy, he has a Black Woman come out and sing a NEW JOHN DUDDY SONG!!! IT WAS TOTALLY OFF THE HOOK!!! I WAS BLOWN OVER!!! THE DERRY DESTROYER ANTHEM! I WAS JEALOUS I DIDN'T WRITE IT!

         GOOD FOR YOU JOHN! GOD BLESS YOU!!!

October 17, 2007

  •  
    Duddy back in Ireland
    Faces new opponent Saturday night in Dublin
     
    NEW YORK (October 16, 2007) – WBO rated No. 2 contender John Duddy (21-0, 16 KOs) broke training camp in the Pocono Mountains this past weekend and arrived in Ireland for Saturday night’s fight in Dublin only to discover that his scheduled opponent, Noe Tulio Gonzalez Alcoba, had withdrawn due to a detached retina. Alcoba has been replaced by 19-year-old Prince Arron (10-2) in the 10-round main event.
     
    Duddy, who hails from Derry (N. Ireland) but now lives in Queens (New York City), last fought July 14, defeating Alessio Furlan by 10th round TKO in the popular Irishman’s first fight as a pro in Ireland.
    “I’m looking forward to fighting in Ireland again,” Duddy said, “but I just love fighting whether it’s in Ireland, New York, Boston or anywhere. I going back to show them how much I’ve improved since my last fight.”
    Despite two opponent changes, Duddy remained fully focused because he prepares to fight the man put in the ring with him, leaving everything else to members of Clan Duddy, primarily his promoter (Irish Ropes) and manager (Tony McLoughlin).
     
    Duddy has head trainer Don Turner, who has handled 19 world champions, in his corner for his second straight fight, and they have been working together for the last six weeks. “Everything seems to be much smoother this camp,” Duddy explained. “We had two weeks together in North Carolina before going to the Poconos. In North Carolina, I enjoyed talking with Don and we got to know each other better. I like listening to a man of experience, absorbing his stories and getting valuable tips. The training, too, has been a wee different this time. Our first camp we only had four weeks together, three at camp and the last during fight week.”
     
    “I went to camp several times and saw steady improvement by John under Don,” Irish Ropes president Eddie McLoughlin added. “John has a new strength-and-conditioning coach, the same guy who works with the Klitschkos, and there’s been improvement in that area, too. Fans are going to see a big improvement in John this Saturday.”
     
    Duddy has heard talk about him fighting new world middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik, or top contenders such as former title-holder Jermain Taylor and Sergio Mora, but it hasn’t been a distraction for John. “I don’t read my press clippings or anybody else’s clips,” Duddy noted, “but I’ve heard rumors and been asked about my next few fights. I leave that up to my promoter and manager. It is nice to be mentioned as part of plans for world champions and top contenders, but I have my own plans, and the idea has always been to work towards a title fight.”
     
    Duddy is rated among the top 11 in all four major boxing organizations – WBO #2, WBC #4, WBA #6 and IBF #11.
     
    “John has to focus on this fight,” McLoughlin remarked, “but I always have to be ready and in motion for his next fight. I can’t afford to wait because we have to make a transition from one fight to the next one. We’re listening to all comers and have several good options.”
     
    -IR-

October 11, 2007

  • Duddy set for Kings Hall date on road to World glory

    Unbeaten Derryman John Duddy looks to be just 2 fights away from the clash of his dreams – a world title showdown with the new poster boy of the middleweight division, Kelly Pavlik.

    Duddy tackles former world title challenger Noe Tulio Gonzalez Alcoba at the Hunky Dorys Fight Night at the National Stadium on October 20th before another planned outing at the Kings Hall, Belfast on December 8.

    Two wins before the end of the year would then set Duddy up for a crack at Pavlik’s newly won WBC and WBO world titles next March. That bout looks destined for Las Vegas with New York’s Madison Square Garden unavailable for the dates being discussed for a Duddy – Pavlik showdown.

    However before Duddy can even think about Pavlik he will have to negotiate two very sizable obstacles on this side of the Atlantic first starting with his bout against Gonzalez Alcoba on Saturday week.

    Duddy’s promoter Eddie McLoughlin said, "It’s tempting to get carried away with all the talk about Pavlik but it won’t count for anything unless we get past this fight in Dublin. Then all going well John will box at the legendary Kings Hall in Belfast on December 8th and then in the New Year we’ll turn our attention to Pavlik."

    McLoughlin confirmed that a St. Patrick’s weekend showdown with Pavlik is now more likely to take place in Las Vegas rather than New York with Madison Square Garden’s diary already full for that weekend.

    McLoughlin continued, "John doesn’t have the luxury of looking beyond his next fight but obviously we need to have long terms plans in place for him and the December 8th date at the Kings Hall would set us up perfectly for a world title fight in the New Year."

    Promoter Brian Peters says he would be delighted to showcase the exciting Duddy in front of Belfast fight fans. "It would be great to put John on in the Kings Hall.

    "Everybody knows about the famous McGuigan nights there in the 80’s and I think a Duddy fight there would recreate the same kind of atmosphere there again. There’s an excellent crop of Belfast based fighters coming up through the ranks as well and they would benefit hugely from fighting in front of a big Belfast fight crowd."

    Duddy though is refusing to be distracted by any elaborate plans for his future and is instead focused directly on the task at hand in Dublin next weekend.

    "Gonzalez will be very tough and very durable," predicted Duddy. "He just put up a great effort for a proper world title in just his 15th fight so you have to take a guy like him very seriously. He pushed Felix Sturm very hard for the whole 12 rounds over in Germany and Sturm is a great champion.

    "He won’t be coming all the way from South America to Ireland for the sunshine, that’s for sure, he’s coming to beat me up and get himself another world title fight but that’s the position I’m in as well so it should make for a good night."

    Tickets for the "Celtic Tigers" Hunky Dorys Fight Night at the National Stadium, Dublin on October 20th are priced from €50 and are available from Ticketmaster.ie and all usual outlets.

October 3, 2007

  • JOHN DUDDY HAS NEW OPPONENT!

    World Title challenger steps in for Duddy

    John Duddy has been hit with a late change of opponent for his headline bout on the next Hunky Dorys Fight Night at the National Stadium on October 20th.

    The New York based Derryman had been set to meet Pablo Navascues but the Spaniard has been forced to withdraw courtesy of an ongoing ankle injury which had seriously disrupted his preparations for the bout.

    Stepping in to fill the void is Uruguay’s Noe Tulio Gonzalez Alcoba.

    The South American is fresh from a battling bid for Felix Sturm’s WBA middleweight title in Germany this summer and believes he can work his way to a second world title shot with a win over Duddy.

    Duddy of course has world title ambitions of his own and with talk of a challenge to the new middleweight kingpin Kelly Pavlik early next year Gonzalez could prove a deadly obstacle.

    The sole defeat of Gonzalez 15 fight career came at the hands of Sturm in June but the 28-year-old’s points defeat in Stuttgart suggested that he is capable of mixing it with the very best in the middleweight division.

    "This is a dangerous fight for John," said promoter Brian Peters. "With Kelly Pavlik’s impressive win over Jermain Taylor last weekend the middleweight picture has really opened up and John is perfectly positioned to take advantage of that. He’s highly ranked with all the major sanctioning bodies and a very marketable challenger for any of the champions, including Pavlik.

    "All of that will go out the window though if he can’t get past Gonzalez and he is a tough, hard man. He’s just coming off the back of that points defeat for the WBA title and he made Sturm work very hard to retain his title. One judge only had Sturm winning by a margin of 116 – 112 so I expect Gonzalez to really push John and there’s no doubt it’s a risky assignment given the kind of options on the table for John now."

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

September 12, 2007

  • SPANISH THREAT REAL FOR JOHN DUDDY

    Duddy set for Spanish Conquest

    The second wave of the latest Spanish armada is set to hit Irish shores next month when Pablo Navascues  looks to upset John Duddy’s European and World title ambitions.

    Navascues’ compatriot Kiko Martinez left Irish fight fans reeling with his smash and grab raid on Bernard Dunne last month and now its Duddy’s turn to repel the Spanish invasion.

    The two men clash on the next Hunky Dorys Fight Night at the National Stadium, Dublin on Saturday, October 20th on the night of the “Celtic Tigers”.

    Duddy – Navascues will headline the event with support from Irish middleweight champion, Matthew Macklin and undefeated light welterweight Paul McCloskey.

    Navascues is the reigning Spanish light middleweight champion and has an excellent record of 25 wins and just one defeat. With 18 of his 25 wins coming via the short route he is clearly a major threat to the unbeaten Duddy.

    The Madrid’s native sole reversal came back in 2000 on a cuts defeat and his winning run since then has seen him surge into the European ratings. The 31-year-old believes a win over Duddy could be his ticket to major title contention.

    Speaking from his training camp Navascues said, “I want to fight prestigious boxers like Duddy because I don’t have time to waste in my career. I would like to fight for a major title early next year and this fight can help to get me there.”

    Navascues has followed Duddy’s career Stateside but feels that his time on the European scene will be less fruitful. "Duddy is a good boxer with a lot of power in both hands. I admire what he has achieved in his career in the U.S. but Europe is different. Our records are similar and I’m sure that both of us will be at our best. I also think that our styles are quite similar and it will be an honour to beat him!"

    The atmosphere at the National Stadium for Duddy’s Irish professional debut in July was white hot and it’s sure to be just as electric next month and Navascues is relishing the prospect.

    "My only fight abroad was in Russia a long time ago and I won that by a second round knockout. I actually enjoy fighting away because I don’t have the pressure of fighting in front of my own supporters.”

    Navascues country man Kiko Martinez stunned Irish fight fans last month and he says Duddy could be in for a similar shock. "I think Kiko Martinez was lucky because Dunne is a good boxer with a great future. I plan on the same outcome as Martinez but I won’t need luck to do it, I will prove my ability against Duddy.”

    Tickets for the “Celtic Tigers” Hunky Dorys Fight Night at the National Stadium, Dublin on October 20th are priced from €50 and are available from Ticketmaster.ie and all usual outlets.

    For more information about John Duddy go to www.irishropes.com

September 3, 2007

  • JOHN DUDDY : NEXT FIGHT

    Duddy looks to continue European campaign

    Unbeaten middleweight sensation John Duddy will look to continue his march to European and World honours on the next Hunky Dorys Fight Night at the National Stadium, Dublin on Saturday, October 20th on the night of the “Celtic Tigers”.

    Duddy will headline the event with support from Irish middleweight champion, Matthew Macklin and undefeated light welterweight Paul McCloskey on what promises to be a real showcase of Ireland’s finest fighting talents.

    All three men are pushing towards title contention with the trio eyeing up European titles. Duddy is adamant though that he is not looking beyond his next outing at the spiritual home of Irish boxing. The New York based Derry man said, “Everyone wants to know about the future and talk about European titles and World titles but I never give it a second thought because I always need to stay focused on the job at hand and for me that’s October 20th at the National Stadium.

    ”I’m in a great position now because there are avenues open to me on both sides of the Atlantic. I’ve a good team behind me with the McLoughlin brothers so we’re definitely moving in the right direction.”

    Also on board that team is new trainer Don Turner. The veteran American was in Duddy’s corner for the first time at the National Stadium in July when he stopped seasoned Italian campaigner Alessio Furlan in the tenth and final round. Turner was pleased with Duddy’s performance and the fighter himself was thrilled to be back home after 20 consecutive wins Stateside.

    “I’m delighted that we made the decision to come home for my last fight and I’m already looking forward to this next one,” said Duddy. “Fighting in New York is something special and for a guy from Derry to headline at Madison Square Garden is amazing but at the end of the day it’s just not home.”

    Duddy enjoyed the acclaim of his home crowd last time and he says the atmosphere left his speechless. “I can’t enjoy the crowd until I’ve done the business in the ring but as soon as the referee stopped the last fight at the Stadium I turned and looked out into crowd and it was amazing. Everyone was going nuts and it’s just an incredible feeling. I fought at the Stadium so many times as an amateur but that was something else and I have to take my hat off to everyone who came out to support me. Hopefully they’ll all be back on October 20th.”

July 30, 2007

  • Duddy Vs. Furlan to be aired!

    Duddy_Furlan_Weigh_In

    Duddy continues mission

     

    NEW YORK CITY (July 30, 2007) – Prodigal son John Duddy triumphantly returned to the Emerald Isle for his first pro fight there, stopping Alessio Furlan (19-9-5) in the 10th round of their July 14th bout, picked-up a few stitches in the process, and showed improvement working with his new head trainer, Don Turner.

     

    Derry City, Northern Ireland-native Duddy (21-0, 16 KO’s), now fighting out of Queens (NY), also continued his mission to become only the third Irish-born middleweight to capture a major world title at 160 pounds, joining “Nonpareil” Jack Dempsey (real name John Kelly) and Stevie “Celtic Warrior” Collins. Dempsey, who was from County Kildare but also fought out of New York City, was the world middleweight champion from 1884 to 1891. Dublin’s Collins won the WBO 160-pound title in 1994 and them moved up to super middleweight.

     

    Duddy, who fought many times as an amateur in Ireland, always wanted to fight there as a pro. It became a reality on July 14 and the experience couldn’t have been better for the fighter known in the U.S. as “Ireland’s” John Duddy, but as the “Derry Destroyer” back home.

     

    “It was a great experience for me,” Duddy said from his home in Queens. “The reception I received at home proved to me that, I had made at in America, but I still hadn’t fought in Ireland, and I really wanted their support, too. Everybody was so supportive. I can’t compare fighting at Madison Square Garden and in Ireland. I’m looking forward to hopefully experience more at both places.

     

    “The people in New York City don’t really know me but they’ve watched and supported me. Back home they know me and I was glad to see people who’ve know me since I was a boy - friends, neighbors and teachers. Before they had great respect for me and now the same people are asking for my autograph. I had a ball.”

     

    Turner has trained 19 world champions including Evander Holyfield, Larry Holmes, Aaron Pryor and Mike McCallum. He and Duddy only had four weeks working together for the fight against

    Furlan.

     

    “There were a lot of circumstances leading up to my last fight,” Duddy explained. “I had changed coaches and the added pressure of fighting in Ireland for the first time as a pro. There were many factors but nobody left the fight, or after watching on TV, feeling unhappy. I think people saw some slight changes. I made some of the same mistakes but I did show some of the things Turner had been working on with me. I’m capable of learning what Don’s teaching me and everyone will see more improvement. This was just the tip of the iceberg in our partnership. I know what he wants and he believes I’ll learn it. Unfortunately, we only had four weeks working together before this fight. I used my head more, maybe too much at times, thinking about what Don had taught me, instead of just letting go. I look forward to getting back in the gym with Don.”

     

    Duddy, reigning IBA and WBC Continental Americas champion, is now rated in the top 10 of all four major boxing organizations: WBO No. 6, WBA No. 9, IBF and WBC No. 10. He will soon briefly go back home to attend his best friend James Moore’s wedding, then return to New York and head back to training camp in the Pocono Mountains with Turner.

     

    The cut he suffered above his left high forced the shifting of his next scheduled fight from August 26 to probably October 6 in Belfast. “When and who I fight are out of my hands,” Duddy remarked. “That’s left to my promoter (Irish Ropes) and manager (McLoughlin Brothers). I just keep fit. Dates and opponents often change in boxing and, at the end of the day; I’ve got to be ready to fight. I’m looking forward to my next fight.

     

    “Circumstances, health wise, have changed the scheduled date. Cuts are part and parcel with the game. Cuts come with the job. I was actually cut three times in the last fight; all by head butts, but cutting isn’t a problem for me. The fight before that, I had a small nick (against Dupre Strickland), and I came out of the fight against (Anthony) Bonsante without any cuts. I have ‘Big George’ (Mitchell) in my corner and he does a fantastic job. After the fourth round there was no mention of my cuts, just the fight.”

     

    The MSG premiere airing of Duddy-Furlan is scheduled for August 11 at 8:00 PM/ET.

     

    For more information about John Duddy or Irish Ropes Promotions go on line to www.irishropes.com.

     

    -IRP-