Duddy Light-Mid Title Fight This Fall?

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Irish Voice Sport

Duddy Light-Mid Title Fight This Fall?

July 2, 2008

By Declan O’Kelly

AFTER the fight on Saturday night, Pat Burns told journalists that, ideally, he would like to see John Duddy fight at light middleweight (154 pounds), which he considers the Derry man’s best fighting weight. The Irish Voice caught up with Duddy’s promoter, Eddie McLoughlin of Irish Ropes, on Monday to find out about their next move.

“John has committed that he can make 154. We have discussed it in detail with Pat and John and they have given it the thumbs up,” McLoughlin said.

“Pat Burns reckons, with his expertise on nutrition, that John has it (the extra pounds) to lose, so at least that is another option. I have a meeting today with Art Pelullo of Banner Promotions, who takes care of Verno Phillips (the IBF light middleweight champion). So we’ll see what transpires there.

“It’s an option and the more options you have the better the bargaining position. Phillips has what we want, and that is the championship. If we get that belt then who knows where it could go.”

On Tuesday, McLoughlin told the Irish Voice that the meeting with Pelullo had gone well. “The meeting was to see what interest if any we had and if John could get down to 154. We told him no problem. It won’t be the easiest in the world for him, but he would get down if a title or an eliminator shot was on the line.

“He said ‘Okay, you guys are after committing to it. Let me shop it around, see what money I can generate from the TV networks.’”

It would seem that it is not a matter of whether there is TV interest, but rather if there are any available dates during the fall schedule. Some networks have prior commitments to other promoters and fights. If any of these scheduled dates fall through then Duddy/Phillips might be picked up.

“We are second choice for both HBO and Showtime. The fight will go ahead either which way because Setanta and Sky have shown interest in it and he (Pelullo) is tossing round numbers with them, and maybe it could even be in the Kings Hall in Belfast.”

Is there anything that might possible scupper the deal?

“Unless Bob Arum (middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik’s promoter) comes in and offers a huge amount of money, but I would prefer to sacrifice a bit of money and for John to go to junior middleweight and go for the title there. I think he has more longevity there to be honest.

“He (Pelullo) was talking to the IBF sanctioning body as Phillips is their champion. It is what it is and money is the dominant force behind this sport. Phillips is probably going to get more money fighting Duddy than anyone else out there.

“We may have to give up options to Pelullo to get Phillips and John a good pay day. Maybe myself and him take a smaller cut and who knows what will come out the pipe after that?”

Though in early stages, McLoughlin is very confident that the fight can happen.

“We are all on the same page and this is the matchup that is most likely to happen, sometime in the fall.”

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