Duddy facing huge test from Eastman

FORMER European, Commonwealth and British middleweight champion Howard Eastman bids to turn John Duddy’s King’s Hall dream into a nightmare when they clash at the legendary Belfast venue on December 8.

The London-based Guyana native goes by the sobriquet of the “Battersea Bomber” and with 35 KO’s from his 42 wins is set to provide the Derry native with the sternest test yet of his 22-fight unbeaten career.

Said Duddy: “It’s going to be amazing, it doesn’t get much better than fighting a guy with Eastman’s reputation at the King’s 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 believes the bout will attract the crowds last witnessed when Barry McGuigan was at his peak in the 80s. Peters said: “It’s only natural that with John fighting at the King’s 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 Juan La Porte at the King’s Hall it proved he was ready for the world title and I think this will be the same kind of fight for John.”

The undercard for “The Only Show in Town” is also full of high-profile contests.

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 credentials, trainer John Breen believes both Haughian and McCloskey are ready to win their first professional titles. He said: “Both boys have been waiting for chances like this and now that they have them they’ll grab them.”

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.