Top contender Duddy hoping for title fight on Irish soil

MIDDLEWEIGHT contender John Duddy is being lined up for an Irish title fight on home soil next summer.

The New York-based Derryman, 27, last week pulled out of a proposed January fight on a low-key card at New York’s Roseland Ballroom. His Irish Ropes management said the decision was made as a precaution against a cut sustained in his fight and because his management insisted the calibre of opponent would have been a step back in their fighter’s development.

Duddy, the WBC Continental Americas champion, is undefeated in 18 professional fights and added a minor world title, the IBA middleweight belt at the end of September courtesy of a hard-fought victory in a thrilling battle with veteran Mexican Yory Boy Campas.

He will put that IBO belt on the line when he next fights on March 16 as the headline act on an Irish Ropes promotion at the Madison Square Garden theatre and manager Eddie McLoughlin has a return to Ireland pencilled in to follow.

“We’re looking to enhance his popularity back home,” McLoughlin said.

“His March 16 fight in New York will be on pay-per-view in the States and in Ireland and then we’ll maybe take John over for an Irish title fight in the summer.”

McLoughlin also challenged Duddy to prove he has what it takes during 2007 to live with the best middleweight stars in the world.

“The time has passed for facile victories,” McLoughlin said. “One of the reasons we pulled out of the January 11 fight was that we do not want John to be fighting a lower class of opponent now. Those fights mean you have everything to lose and nothing to gain. He could get a butt, which could reopen the cut and that would put the March 16 date in jeopardy just for the sake of a meaningless win. We want every victory to be a step up for John.

“We all know we have a puncher with an iron chin but we also need to see that we have so much more. John is getting hit too much for my liking and we need to see his defence improved up to 40% in the coming months.”

McLoughlin said Duddy would be likely to face Matt Vanda on March 16.

The American boasts a solid 35-2 record with 21 knockouts and he also beat Campas earlier this year, on a split decision for the IBA Americas light-middleweight title.

“After his Paddy’s Day fight he’ll have three or four fights to prove to us that he can handle the Jermain Taylors of this world and if he’s not ready by this time next year, he never will be. But we honestly think he can live in that company.”