By Rick Reeno

Trainer Emanuel Steward will not discount John Duddy (23-0, 17KOs) if he gets the chance to fight WBC/WBO middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik (32-0, 29KOs). A verbal agreement is in place for Duddy to meet Pavlik in June. 

Both fighters have bouts scheduled for the month of February. Pavlik defends his titles for the first time in a rematch with Jermain Taylor (27-1-1, 17KOs) on Feb. 16 in Las Vegas, and Duddy has the co-feature position on the Wladimir Klitschko-Sultan Ibragimov undercard on February 23 at New York's Madison Square Garden. Duddy's likely opponent will be Matt "The Predator" Vanda (37-5, 21KOs).

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Steward tells BoxingScene.com that Duddy should not be overlooked in a possible fight with Pavlik.

"A lot of people think Pavlik will go through him. I don't completely discount John. He fights with his heart, and as long he's got breath in his body - he will fight. You have to remember, he's still a pretty good puncher and he has that warrior's heart. If you don't come with your gameplan and your body is not right, he can beat you," Steward said.

While he admits Duddy has a decent shot to win, Steward says the fighter that he manages and trains, Andy Lee (14-0, 11KOs), is a sure bet to beat Pavlik by the end of 2008.

"I have Andy on the once a month program. He's going to fight once a month and by the end of the year he should have a little over 20 wins. Most of my fighters win titles before 20 fights anyway. He has a great amateur background and the will to win. He'll beat Pavlik," Steward said.

There are several champions in the division, but Pavlik appears to be the target for Lee.

"We're not thinking about the other guys. Pavlik is champion, he's the most credible guy in the division. By the end of the year, our preference will be to fight Pavlik," Steward said. "It's going to be a great fight."

If Duddy happens to pull off the upset on Pavlik, a bout with fellow Irishman Lee, in Ireland, would be a monster event.

"That would be huge. Duddy is very popular over there and so is Andy. It would be big," Steward said.