By Mark Vester

According to a report in the Belfast Telegraph, Andy Lee's trainer/manager Emanuel Steward is trying to make an all-Irish middleweight showdown between Lee and John Duddy. Steward has been in contact with Duddy's manager, Craig Hamilton and says the two of them are on the same page.

Steward, who trains WBA 154-pound champion Miguel Cotto, wanted the fight to take place on the undercard to Cotto's next bout. That idea will have be switched around as Cotto made a decision to bypass a planned December 4 return. Instead, Cotto will make the first defense of his WBA title in early 2011. 

“I have talked to Craig about the fight and he’s up for it and so are we. New York is where I would like it to be, it’s a huge fight there for the Irish community but I know there is interest in staging the fight in Ireland. I think for both men it’s a great fight at this stage of their careers and I believe it will take Andy closer to a world title shot, Steward said.