by T.K. Stewart
BOSTON - Top middleweight contender John Duddy says his rigorous preparations with new trainer Pat Burns are done, and he's ready to go for Saturday night's fight with Charles Howe at The Castle in Boston, Massachusetts.
"I’m lookin' forward to fightin' again in Boston," says Duddy, a native of Derry County, Northern Ireland. Duddy is currently ranked in the top 10 by all four of boxing's sanctioning bodies and has an undefeated record of 24-0 (17)KO.
"I’ve fought there and visited Boston many times," Duddy continues. "The atmosphere there is very friendly with so many of me family, friends and fans livin' there. The Castle is familiar territory for me, especially with so many Irish there. I’m lookin' to give them a good experience."
Duddy wants to get back on the fast track against Howe who hails from Grelton, Ohio which is located about 40 miles outside of Toledo. Duddy struggled to a majority decision in his last fight against the unknown Walid Smichet and he hopes to be more impressive Saturday night.
"The Smichet fight was far from perfect," says Duddy. "But it's all a learnin' curve in me career, you know what I mean?"
"The preparation for this fight has been great," says the 29 year-old Irishman of his time spent in Florida with Pat Burns who has trained some of the top amateur and professional talent in boxing that has included names like Hector Camacho, Sr. and Jermain Taylor.
Duddy says all the training in the world is great, "But at the end of the day, all that matters is what I do in the ring," he says. "I’m lookin' forward to doin' much better than I did in me last fight."
Howe, 33, is virtually unknown despite the fact he's been a pro fighter since 1993. He brings a respectable record (on paper) of 17-4-2 (9)KO to the table against Duddy and has fought (and lost) to names like Cornelius Bundrage and Joey Gilbert.
Duddy notes that he has recently implemented weight training into his regimen in an effort to be bigger and stronger in his quest for a future title shot.
"You know, my last few fights, some people have said I looked smaller," says Duddy. "Even my mother and father said that. I didn’t really feel it but we’ve been workin' on me bein' stronger. I’ve enjoyed it and it’s been great workin' with Pat. I’ve enjoyed our time together and I like his ideas. His brother Joseph (the strength and conditioning coach) has been a great help conditionin' wise and I love trainin' for a fight."
Duddy has been on a training program that sees him using weights in conjunction with training three times a day with traditional boxing drills and roadwork.
"I knew before I even went down to Florida that Pat was known for producing well conditioned fighters," says Duddy of Burns, who has a reputation as a tough disciplinarian. "I figured I'd better be in some kind of decent shape before I even got there and I think they were pleased that I was," said Duddy.
Duddy is setting his goals on a fight-by-fight basis and isn't looking past Charles Howe on Saturday night. "If I can give a performance like I did against Howard Eastman in Belfast, I'll be pleased," he says. "And if I'm happy, then everyone else should be."
Many of Duddy's most ardent supporters believe he's ready for a title fight right now and would like nothing more than to see him in the ring with another Ohio middleweight - the champion from Youngstown, Ohio - Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik.
"Kelly Pavlik's a fantastic champion," says Duddy. "Before he went for his title he had thirty-three fights. I have only twenty-four, so maybe I have a lot more to learn as well. But at the end of the day, I'll take it one step at a time. I'm lookin' forward to the future in me career."
And the future is now.
The official weigh in for Saturday's fights will be held Friday, June 27 at 5:00pm inside The Kells Bar & Nightclub, 161 Brighton Avenue, Allston, Massachusetts.
