Duddy to return to action in Boston

UNDEFEATED Irish middleweight prospect John Duddy will hope to claw his way back into world title contention when he returns to action against Charles Howe in Boston on June 28.

Derry-born Duddy had been lined up for a crack at undisputed champion Kelly Pavlik but blew his chance with a dreadful majority-decision win over Tunisian Walid Smichet last time out.

Pavlik went on to hammer Welshman Gary Lockett to a third-round defeat instead but 28-year-old Duddy — now unbeaten in 24 fights — has lost none of his belief that he will be contesting major title fights soon.

Duddy said: “The preparation for my next fight has been great but all that matters is what I do in the ring. I’m looking forward to doing much better than I did in my last fight.

“I’m feeling great. My last few fights, people have said I looked smaller. Even my mother and father said that. I didn’t really feel it but we’ve been working on me being stronger and I’ve enjoyed it.”