John Duddy

This article is about the boxer from Northern Ireland. For the Scottish murderer, see Shepherd's Bush murders. For the man shot dead on Bloody Sunday in Derry, see Bloody Sunday (1972).

John Francis Duddy (born 19 June 1979)^[1] is an Irish retired middleweight professional boxer, from Derry. Duddy fought under the moniker of "Ireland's John Duddy"^[1] or "The Derry Destroyer".^[2]

Duddy lost only twice (to Billy Lyell and Julio César Chávez, Jr.) in 31 bouts,^[3] with 18 of his wins by knockout, ten of those KOs coming in the first round. He is the former IBA World and WBC Continental Americas middleweight title holder.^[4]

Amateur career

As an amateur Duddy fought 130 times, winning 100 of his bouts. Duddy won his first Irish national title at the age of 15 as a Light Middleweight in the Junior Division, later winning Irish titles at the Intermediate and Elite Levels. He also represented Ireland at European level and during Olympic qualifiers.^{[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]}

Professional career

Debut

Duddy turned professional September 2003, and his first fight as a pro was fight Tarek Rashed in The Bronx. He won via first round knockout. On 22 November, he stopped Jesse Gomez at the Crowne Plaza hotel. His next bout was also at the Crowne Plaza, where he beat Leo Laudat on 21 December but suffered his first knockdown.^[4]

Early professional fights

Duddy began 2004 by stepping up his opponent quality a notch, when he met Ken Hock on 9 January 2004 in Uncasville, Connecticut. Hock had ten victories against four losses and one draw (tie) coming into his bout with Duddy. Hock became the first boxer to go more than one round against Duddy, but still lost by knockout to the Irish prospect in the fourth round. He then experienced his career's longest lay-off, waiting over nine months before his next bout. When he returned, he once again won by first round knockout, defeating Victor Paz on 30 October at Middletown, New York. Duddy quickly returned to action after that fight, beating William Johnson on 18 November in Manhattan.^[4]

Duddy's last fight of 2004 came on 12 December at Brighton Beach, Brooklyn against the then undefeated Glen Dunnings. Dunnings became only the second boxer to go more than one round against Duddy, when he was knocked out in the fifth round. Duddy's first fight of 2005 came on 4 February, when he beat Chuck Orso in White Plains.^[4]

St Patrick's Day events

On 18 March, Duddy fought the undefeated prospect Leonard Pierre as part of an Irish themed "day after Saint Patrick's Day card". This undercard was televised in the United States on ESPN, with Duddy and Pierre fighting the semi-main event of the card, which was headlined by heavyweight Kevin McBride, who later defeated Mike Tyson.^[11]

Both the live crowd and the television announcers expected an early knockout in this fight, given that Pierre also had six first round knockout wins. Duddy proceeded to drop Pierre twice before experienced referee Frank Cappuccino stopped the fight, giving Duddy his seventh first round knockout, and his ninth consecutive knockout victory.

On 11 June 2005 Duddy was up against Patrick Thompson in Madison Square Garden. Thompson became the third boxer to last the first round, and both fighters boxed to a judge's decision. The score on all three cards was 80-72 in favor of Duddy, who extended his win streak to ten, while his knockout streak ended at nine.^[4]

In his next eight fights, Duddy knocked out six opponents, including first round knock outs of both Joseph Brady (17 September 2005) and Shelby Pudwill (16 March 2006). On the undercard of the 10 June 2006 Miguel Cotto-Paul Malignaggi Top Rank Pay-Per-View fight, Duddy took on the experienced fighter Alfredo Cuevas, who in 2004 went the 12 round distance with former middleweight champion Jermain Taylor. It was Duddy's eighth fight in less than a year and his third at Madison Square Garden, but he showed no signs of fatigue, fighting Cuevas for 7 rounds before Cuevas retired on his stool with a broken nose and several deep cuts. ^{[citation needed]}

His next fight came against Yori Boy Campas, again at Madison Square Garden. Against an opponent with ten times more professional experience, Duddy went the distance, winning in a unanimous decision after 12 rounds. On 16 March 2007, he beat Anthony Bonsante at Madison Square Garden. Duddy won with a unanimous 90-81, 89-82 and 88-83 decision when the fight was stopped after the ninth round by referee Steve Smoger, due to heavy bleeding from Bonsante's forehead caused by an earlier accidental headbutt. ^{[citation needed]}

Return to Ireland

On 14 July 2007 Duddy fought the first of his two scheduled fights in what has been billed as his "Homecoming" to Ireland. In his first at the National Stadium in Dublin, his opponent was Alessio Furlan. Duddy was ruled the winner by TKO with only 10 seconds to go in the 10th and final round. John then went on to defeat Prince Arron in 2 rounds on 20 October in the National Stadium, Dublin. Duddy fought Howard Eastman at the King's Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland on 8 December. The fight was expected to be his toughest to date. In front of 5,500 supporters, Duddy recorded a ten round 96-94 points victory.^[12][13][14]

Loss to Lyell

On 24 April 2009, Duddy was beaten via ten-round split decision by Billy Lyell, a fighter with seven losses in his twenty-five fights.^[15]

Rebuilding

On 10 October 2009, Duddy made a successful return to the ring against Michi Munoz. Duddy won a unanimous decision.^[16]

On 23 January 2010, Duddy fought Juan Astorga in Madison Square Garden. He went on to win by way of technical knockout in the first round, giving him his 18th KO.^[17]

Duddy defeated Michael Medina of Monterrey, Mexico via split Decision on 13 March 2010, on the undercard of the Pacquaio/Clottey WBO Welterweight Championship.^[18]

In his final fight he was unanimously outpointed by Julio César Chávez, Jr. in a fight in San Antonio on 26 June 2010.^[3]

Retirement

Duddy announced his retirement from boxing in a statement on 19 January 2011, after "a great deal of soul-searching." In the statement, Duddy cited a lack of desire, saying, "I no longer have the enthusiasm and willingness to make the sacrifices that are necessary to honor the craft of prizefighting," and stated that his decision is final. This scuppered plans for an all-Irish showdown at Foxwoods Resort against Andy Lee.^[19]

Professional boxing record

29 Wins (18 knockouts), 2 Loss, 0 Draws,0 No Contest
Res.	Record	Opponent	Type	Rd., Time	Date	Location	Notes
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	29-2	Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.	UD	12 (12)	02010-06-2626 June 2010	Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas	Vacant WBC Silver Middleweight Title on the line.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	29–1	Michael Medina	SD	12 (12)	02010-03-1313 March 2010	Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	28–1	Juan Astorga	TKO	1 (8), 1:55	02010-01-2323 January 2010	Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	27-1	Michi Munoz	UD	8 (8)	02009-10-1010 October 2009	Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	26–1	Billy Lyell	SD	10 (10)	02009-04-2424 April 2009	Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	26–0	Matt Vanda	UD	10 (10)	02009-02-2121 February 2009	Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	25–0	Charles Howe	UD	10 (10)	02008-06-2828 June 2008	The Castle, Boston, Massachusetts
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	24–0	Walid Smichet	MD	10 (10)	02008-02-2323 February 2008	Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	23–0	Howard Eastman	PTS	10 (10)	02007-12-088 December 2007	King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	22–0	Prince Arron	TKO	2 (10), 2:33	02007-10-2020 October 2007	National Stadium, Dublin, Ireland
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	21–0	Alessio Furlan	TKO	10 (10), 2:42	02007-07-1414 July 2007	National Stadium, Dublin, Ireland
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	20–0	Dupre Strickland	UD	10 (10)	02007-05-1818 May 2007	Beacon Theatre, New York, New York
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	19–0	Anthony Bonsante	TD	9 (12)	02007-03-1616 March 2007	Madison Square Garden, New York, New York	IBA and WBC Continental Americas Middleweight Titles at stake.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	18–0	Luis Ramon Campas	UD	12(12)	02006-09-2929 September 2006	Madison Square Garden, New York, New York	Retained IBA Middleweight Title.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	17–0	Alfredo Cuevas	RTD	7 (12),	02006-06-1010 June 2006	Madison Square Garden, New York, New York	Retained IBA Middleweight Title.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	16–0	Shelby Pudwill	TKO	1 (10), 1:51	02006-03-1616 March 2006	Madison Square Garden, New York, New York	Vacant IBA Middleweight Title on the line.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	15–0	Julio Jean	UD	10 (10)	02006-02-044 February 2006	The Castle, Boston, Massachusetts
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	14–0	Wilmer Mejia	TKO	4 (8)	02005-12-1515 December 2005	Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Hollywood, Florida
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	13–0	Bryon Mackie	TKO	4 (8), 1:32	02005-11-044 November 2005	Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, New York
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	12–0	Joseph Brady	KO	1 (8), 1:01	02005-09-1717 September 2005	Dana Barros Sports Complex, Mansfield, Massachusetts
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	11–0	Pat Coleman	TKO	8 (8), 2:30	02005-07-2222 July 2005	Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	10–0	Patrick Thompson	UD	8 (8)	02005-06-1111 June 2005	Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	9–0	Lenord Pierre	TKO	1 (8), 1:23	02005-03-1818 March 2005	Foxwoods Resort, Mashantucket, Connecticut
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	8–0	Chuck Orso	KO	1 (8), 1:37	02005-02-044 February 2005	Westchester County Center, White Plains, New York
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	7–0	Glen Dunnings	TKO	5 (6), 1:20	02004-12-1111 December 2004	Atlantic Oceana, Brighton Beach, New York
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	6–0	William Johnson	TKO	1 (4), 0:39	02004-11-1818 November 2004	Manhattan Center, New York, New York
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	5–0	Victor Paz	TKO	1 (6), 2:04	02004-10-3030 October 2004	Orange County Fairgrounds, Middletown, New York
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	4–0	Ken Hock	TKO	4 (4), ?:??	02004-01-099 January 2004	Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, Connecticut
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	3–0	Leo Laudat	TKO	1 (4), ?:??	02003-11-2121 November 2003	Crowne Plaza Hotel, New York, New York
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	2–0	Jesse Gomez	TKO	1 (4), ?:??	02003-10-2222 October 2003	Crowne Plaza Hotel, New York, New York
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	1–0	Tarek Rached	TKO	1 (4), ?:??	02003-09-1919 September 2003	Jimmy's Bronx Cafe, Bronx, New York	John's professional debut.

Personal life

John has a wife named Grainne.^[20] His Uncle Jackie Duddy was one of the 14 people killed by British Army Paratroopers, during Bloody Sunday.^[21]

Notes and references

External links

• Professional boxing record for John Duddy from BoxRec
• FightBeat.com Interview with Duddy
• Brickcityboxing Interview with Duddy