Duddy Wins in Belfast

Advertise • Help • Contact Us • Permissions

Discussions Groups Events Blogs Photos Premium Irish Circle

Edit Profile Friends Requests Messages Updates

Discussions Groups Events Photos Blogs Irish Pubs Local Networks Expat Info GAA Clubs Rugby Clubs Dating Worldwide

Working in Ireland Working Abroad Currency Converter Jobs Ireland Banking Ireland Irish Sites

Info Ireland Vacation Packages Hotels Car Rental Golf Ferries Hostels Day Tours

Irish Name Register Passenger Lists Screensavers Advice & Resources

Irish News Music & Songs Recipes Proverbs e-Postcards History & Archaeology Heritage & Culture Mythology Irish Studies Literature Gaelic

Gifts & Jewellery Books Music Food Heraldry Clothes Other

Irish Voice

Columnists

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Read newsletters

Enter your e-mail address to receive our weekly e-Newsletter:

Irish Voice Sport

Duddy Wins in Belfast

December 13, 2007

By Declan O’Kelly

JOHN Duddy’s quest to challenge for the world middleweight title gained huge momentum in Belfast Saturday night when he defeated Howard Eastman on a points decision.

In front of 7,000 passionate fans, Derry native Duddy faced and conquered the greatest challenge of his professional career. A loss would have crippled Duddy’s earning potential and put him back to square one, but this win cements his position near the top of the pecking order for a world title shot in 2008.

Duddy started out strong and set a fast pace, winning the early rounds with controlled aggression. Eastman shook off the cobwebs in the third and caused a cut on Duddy’s right eyebrow.

The middle section of the fight saw the London-based Guyana native Eastman enjoy his best spell as he landed with uppercuts and connected a couple of times flush on Duddy’s face. The wily vet also threw in a few late shots after the bell in an effort to shake up the Irishman.

Penetrate though Eastman did, Duddy never looked in too much discomfort bar a head snapping right he absorbed in round six.

Duddy got his second wind in the later rounds and outworked Eastman, who, always dangerous, was beginning to tire towards the end. An increased effort set up by a strong jab saw Duddy in the ascendancy. Once the final bell rang, judge Sean Russell scored the fight 96-94 to Duddy, now 23-0, and his fans erupted.

“Tonight I think I was showing a lot more head movement, but I wasn’t landing a lot of combinations. Howard Eastman is a quality opponent and I knew that from the get go,” said Duddy at ringside after the fight.

“If he had beat me he was back in for another world title again, whereas I am looking to step into that arena. I think I won it more decisively than on the scorecard, but a win is a win and I am delighted.”

The mid section saw him take a few shots, and though far from the finished product, Duddy’s almost unblemished (right eyebrow aside) face told the story of more consistent defensive performance.

“My corner was very comfortable with what I was doing. I took his biggest blows, including a big right hand, and he did not hurt me in the slightest. At least I know my jaw is in good stead!” Duddy said.

Manager Tony McLoughlin echoed these sentiments from Ireland a few days later when he spoke to the Irish Voice. “We are delighted with John’s performance. He didn’t get hit as much, and he wasn’t wasting any shots either,” McLoughlin said.

Brother and Irish Ropes President Eddie McLoughlin did not feel the fight was as close as the result, and was a little surprised at referee Sean Russell scoring four rounds a draw. He also noted the improvement in his boxer’s showing and credited it to the Don Turner- Duddy partnership.

“This was John’s most impressive performance. The John Duddy of three fights ago would not have cut the mustard on Saturday night,” said McLoughlin.

Next up for Duddy is a February 2 date at a U.S. East Coast location yet to be determined against Matt Vanda (37-5) on the undercard of the WBC world heavyweight title fight between Oleg Maskaev and Samuel Peter. Vanda was the primary target for last year’s St. Patrick’s Day fight at the Theater in Madison Square Garden. However, his loss to Anthony Bonsante that January saw the former Contender star being awarded the Duddy fight for his victory.

Vanda, a heavily tattooed 29-year–old from Minnesota, was last in action on November 11 when he lost to Andy Kolle. While not even near the quality of Eastman, Vanda will keep Duddy sharp as he waits on big fight developments.

With the Jermain Taylor rematch keeping the WBO/WBC middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik busy for the first quarter of 2008, Eddie McLoughlin is making the trip to Germany this week to touch base with European middleweight champion Sebastian Sylvester’s manager Wilfried Sauerland.

Sylvester (27-2) defends his title against Frenchman Francois Bastient (33-5-1) on January 26 in Berlin. The winner of this fight might be an attractive option for Duddy in Belfast in March.

Sauerland also manages IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abra-ham, so beginning a relationship with the German could offer McLoughlin plenty of other options for his fighter if the challenge for Pavlik’s WBO/WBC belts encounters any hiccups.

For now, Duddy, a much more experienced campaigner after Saturday night, will take a well-earned break for the holidays before getting back in the gym for the Vanda challenge.

Also in action in Belfast on Saturday night in the walk out fight was light heavyweight Alo Kelly, who TKO’d Sandris Tomsom in the third round.

“Alo put in an impressive performance and continues to improve. He dropped him in the first with a body shot and in the third with a headshot. He will be fighting again on the undercard of Andy Lee in Dublin Saturday night,” said Eddie McLouhglin.

Kelly’s opponent on Saturday night will more thank likely be Latvian Andrey Tolstihs (0-5-1) in a scheduled six round contest. With this win Kelly now moves to 4-0-1 in his six months as a pro.

Share this story: digg this | Add to del.icio.us

Print Save Discussions

Discuss

Email a friend