By Terence Dooley
Craig Hamilton, who manages John Duddy, revealed that they may move on from a possible fight with Irish rival Andy Lee unless terms are agreed soon. Hamilton has thrown the gauntlet down to Manny Steward, who trains and manages Lee, imploring the legendary Kronk trainer to get on the phone and make the fight a reality.
“Manny has been talking about the fight but I haven't had a proper offer. We have said that we are interested in the fight, it would be a big fight for Ireland, but as yet he hasn't got a promoter nailed down,” declared Hamilton when speaking to the Belfast Telegraph.
He added: “Andy Lee needs John Duddy a lot more than John needs him because John means a lot more in America and particularly in New York. He's a much more marketable fighter. We did have an offer from Brian Peters to put the fight on but he wanted the winner to fight Matthew Macklin and I couldn't agree to having John tied into that.”
Indeed, Steward also believes that the fight is a “natural”, it is time to nail the details down before it becomes yet another one of the ones that got away. Duddy recently lost to Julio Cesar Chavez Junior and has failed to build on his early career promise. A massive Irish boxing 'twofer' – get through Lee to get to Macklin – would go down a treat with the fans and, in all honesty, it is hard to see where else Duddy can go. If he were to take these fights, and indeed win them, although it is unlikely given the form lines, then he'd have a pair of prize scalps on his record. Gentlemen, make it so.
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