Turner believes Duddy will be world champ

RENOWNED trainer Don Turner is convinced John Duddy will join the likes of Evander Holyfield and Larry Holmes and become his 21st world champion.

Turner has been training the unbeaten New York-based Irish middleweight since the start of the summer and guided the Derryman to two victories, both in Dublin, that have taken Duddy’s professional record to 22-0 (17 KOs). That has seen Duddy move into the frame of world title contenders with new champion Kelly Pavlik linked to a championship battle with the Irishman in New York in the late spring, provided he wins his February rematch with Jermain Taylor.

Duddy’s Irish Ropes management has a Taylor plan in place should the former champ regain his titles, but whoever he does fight Turner believes he will become world champion.

“If John Duddy takes care of himself, keeps his weight down, and behaves like a fighter should, he has the potential to be world champion,” Turner said from Duddy’s North Carolina training camp. “I’ve had 20 world champions and John’s going to be my 21st.”

Duddy is rounding out his preparations for Saturday, December 8’s 10-round showdown with former European champion and two-time world title challenger Howard Eastman (42-5, 35 KOs) at Belfast’s King’s Hall.

Duddy is the WBO’s No. 2-rated middleweight contender.

Yet in Eastman, the ‘Battersea Bomber’, he faces his toughest opponent yet.