Duddy happy to wait for title tilt

JOHN DUDDY may thank Jermain Taylor for exercising his rematch clause with Kelly Pavlik in the new year, with a world title shot for the Irish man four months later than expected proving well worth the wait.

Providing there are no slip-ups against former contender Matt Vanda in February and an as-yet unnamed opponent in March, the unbeaten Derryman — who beat two-time world title challenger Howard Eastman in Belfast last Saturday to move his professional record to 23-0 (17 KOs) — will fight Ohio’s Pavlik (32-0, 29 KOs) for his WBC/WBO world middleweight belts next June.

The American’s promoter Bob Arum revealed to the Irish Examiner on Tuesday that the match had been made and Jim Borzell, matchmaker for Duddy’s promoter Irish Ropes, confirmed the pact last night.