Duddy set for National Stadium bout

Boxing/News round-up:Thomas Hauser, arguably boxing's leading scribe, has penned two feature-length articles on Derryman John Duddy. BBC Northern Ireland recently aired an hour-long programme charting his career path in New York - alongside his fiancée, Gráinne - during which the Raging Bull, Jake La Motta, complimented his rugged style.

Duddy became a genuine middleweight contender last September when he beat 96-fight veteran Luis "Yori Boy" Campas in Madison Square Garden. It was a blood bath. Most of it seeping from cuts above Duddy's eyes. Despite barely surviving a sweet blow to the chin, the 27-year-old recorded his 18th straight professional victory with a unanimous decision.

Following on from his success in guiding Bernard Dunne to a European title and enticing Wayne McCullough to fight in Dublin on Dunne's undercard next month, Brian Peters has teamed up with Irish Ropes promotions to bring the unbeaten Duddy to the National Stadium in Dublin on July 14th (tickets are available on Ticketmaster from this morning for €50).

The coup makes the Meath publican the undisputed rainmaker of Irish boxing.

Peters presented Duddy to the media yesterday aboard the replica of the famine ship, the Jeanie Johnston, which was docked at Custom House quay. Get it? The emigrant returns.

Only problem is Peters has yet to land an opponent.

"We had a guy but he pulled out after getting hold of a few Duddy tapes. It's still seven weeks out though and we have two fighters lined up who must come through fights in the next fortnight."

Former Irish Olympian and RTÉ boxing pundit Mick Dowling gave Peters a rigorous interrogation about whether a genuine opponent can be unearthed for Duddy's first professional fight in Ireland.

For the record, he has won his 20 pro fights, 15 by knockout, nine coming in the first round, which includes an unconvincing, albeit unanimous, points victory over Dupre Strickland 12 days ago. That same night world champion Jermaine Taylor was equally unimpressive in scrapping past Corey Spinks.

Taylor versus Duddy would appease the networks and sell a shed load of tickets so unsurprisingly the champion's promoter, Lou Di Bella, tabled an offer for a fight later this year.

Duddy admits he isn't ready for Taylor. His rawness has recently led to some debilitating cuts and may have prompted the recruitment of Don Turner, who was in Evander Holyfield's corner the night Mike Tyson bit his ear. Before that Turner trained Larry Holmes.

"For a man who gets hit a lot I don't look too bad," notes Duddy with a grin. "The only guy who hurt me was Yori Boy Campus, be it his left hand, right hand or head I came through a lot in that fight. In boxing you are going to get hit.

"Hopefully Don Turner can help me get to the next stage a bit quicker.

"Yori was also the first time I got cut. It happened again last week but you can see that it has healed already. I was never a bleeder.

"If the world title opportunity comes up hopefully we can take that step but for now we are trying to gain as much experience as we can. A fight back in Ireland opens up the opportunity of fighting for a European title hopefully in the not too distant future."

It seemed a little premature of Peters to describe the current crop as a golden generation but with Andy Lee also making headway in the US and Matthew Macklin, another in Peters' stable, holding a 17-2 record, an enticing duel appears ready made.

Duddy disagrees. "Everyone is quick to say 'when are you fighting each other?' When is the last time we had so many Irish boxers in the professional ranks so why now? Let's wait until it's for a title or big money."

Boxing has always been about timing.