Duddy Victory Secures Garden Title Shot/Torres Wins
Middleweight Boxer John Duddy is slated to be the main event of the Shamrock Express Boxing card at Madison Square Garden on March 16/
What Irish Ropes, the Arverne based boxing gym and promoters for the huge card at MSG, could least afford was for Duddy to fail in his chance to beat Julio Jean in Boston last Saturday night.
Duddy did not disappoint. The middlewieght extended his undefeated 15 win streak with a unanimous 10-round decision against Haiti born journeyman Jean.
What the rising middleweight contender did was effectively kept his opponent off balance with jabs and hooks to the body. After a strong first two rounds, Jean backed off and assumed a defensive posture for most of the fight.
Duddy was able to land a few blows but chased his opponent for most of the fight as Jean was willing to wait to land combinations. Becoming more aggressive was the key to Duddy winning points from the judges and almost knocked him out in the seventh.
Though he knocked out 8 of his 15 opponents in the first round, Duddy showed he can hang in there for the distance. Displaying patience and landing timely blows has also become a part of the growing arsenal that will headline at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden prior to St. Patrick’s Day.
“He was brilliant. He won every round and he proved he can stay in there for 10 rounds,” Irish Ropes promoter Eddie McLoughlin said.
His next bout against Pudwill will be his first chance for gold around his waist as he will fight for the WBC Continental Americas Title and the New York State Middleweight title.
Pudwill is 21-2 with 8 KO’s and has won nine straight bouts heading into the fight.
The Shamrock Express card will also feature Irish Ropes stablemate James Moore (5-0, 4 KOs), Maureen Shea (3-0, 2 KOs) and Matthew Macklin (16-1) who is currently Ireland’s holder of the middleweight crown.
Torres Gets Golden Win
Despite his 5 foot 6 frame and weighing less than his opponents, Luis Torres hasn’t used it as an excuse to not make an impact in the ring.
At the Van Dyke PAL on Wednesday night, Torres pushed himself into the spotlight with a three round decision over the taller Benjamin Uzilov in the Golden Gloves.
Torres mixed combinations, landed clear shots and was the aggressor in a three round decision in which he was awarded with the P.C. Richard &Son Fighter of the Night.
He is fighting in his first Golden Gloves in the heavyweight 201 pounds and under Novice division.
Gary Styles, also fighting in the heavyweight novice decision, easily defeated Ricardo Campbell of East N.Y. PAL with a decisive first round knockout. Both boxers represent the Irish Ropes Boxing Club on Beach 73rst Street in Arverne. Robert Rucker, Travis Hall and Vinny Celetano will fight this week representing the gym.