By Ronan Creaney

Irish middleweight sensation John Duddy’s next fight will be on pay per view on Thursday, December 15. The fight, part of the “Global Warfare” fight card, will take place in the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Florida.

Duddy’s rising popularity sees him included on a card that will feature fighters from five countries, including Nigeria’s Samuel Peter, Colombia’s Juan Arango, Russian Sultan Ibragimov, as well as home grown Lance Whitaker.

The latter two apparently couldn’t wait until fight night and went toe to toe at the press launch at Gallagher’s Steak House in Manhattan last week. The only punch of significance hit Ibragimov’s adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz, who was unconscious for 20 minutes.

Before the heavyweight tit for tat, Duddy was announced and looked calm and confident when questioned. “I’m looking forward to fighting in Florida. I will be keeping active, and it will be a tremendous show,” the Derry native said.

For Duddy this fight is a much-expected move up in class. His opponent Emiliano Cayetano is a bit of an unknown on these shores, having fought exclusively in his native Dominican Republic. However, with an 11-0 record including six knockouts and a visit to the Olympic games on his resume, Cayetano is not a fighter to be taken lightly.

In his last outing Duddy totally outclassed a game but overmatched Bryon Mackie. The Canadian lasted four rounds at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan were he was physically hammered into submission by the clearly stronger Duddy.

Duddy’s punching power is beyond question, with 12 knockouts in 13 fights, and many boxing pundits see gold in his future. The December 15 fight should be a step in that direction with Duddy’s in your face, feet forward fighting style an ideal match for the TV audience.

A possible title fight has been mentioned for early in the New Year, sometime around St. Patrick’s Day.