Brick City Boxing

By: Declan Hughes

It wasn’t John Duddy’s night this past Saturday. It was in the air at the Prudential Center from the get go. There wasn’t the same atmosphere that is usually seen at a John Duddy fight. The usual raucous, rowdy Irish crowd that traveled for John Duddy in the past never showed up. The countless Irish flags waiving in the arena and joyful singing was absent. When Duddy entered the ring, the arena looked the same as it did when the first bout of the night went on. Needless to say it wasn’t sold out. There were a lot of empty seats at the Rock. To top it off, the loan piper that walks Duddy out to the ring didn’t play any music on his bag pipes. Ironically Duddy wound up fighting the same as the piper played his bag pipes. Silent. It just wasn’t Duddy’s night.

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As for Billy Lyell, someone didn’t inform him that he wasn’t supposed to win tonight. As the fight started, it seemed that Duddy was going to have an easy time with Lyell who was a few inches shorter than him, as was his reach. Duddy boxed well for the 1st minute of round 1. Then like that, the Derry Destroyer got hit flush. Then again… and again… and again and again… and then the final bell rang. Billy Lyell brought the fight to Duddy all night.

He reminded me of an old time scrapper named Billy Conn. Conn, a former light heavyweight champion fought Joe Louis for the Heavyweight Championship back in 41. He was a scrapper that was peppering Louis the whole fight and taking it to the “Brown Bomber”. He was winning on the cards when he got to brave and tried to take Louis out. Louis wound up knocking Conn out in the 13th.

The only difference in the Duddy- Lyell fight was that Lyell didn’t try to take Duddy out. He fought his fight the whole time, outworking Duddy and beating him to the punch. Duddy got hit with everything. He got cut in the 2nd round from a head butt. He was never in the fight. There were times he looked like he was about to start things going but just fell into the same lethargic pace he fought with the whole fight. In the end Duddy lost a split decision, 97-93, 98-92 and somehow one of the judges scored it for Duddy 96-94.

It was evident at the last John Duddy fight, when he faced Matt Vanda, that there wasn’t the usual support that is usually seen at a Duddy match. The same can be said for this fight. It seems that when Duddy left Irish Ropes Promotions, the Irish fans left Duddy.

Billy Lyell ups his record to 19-7 and could possibly get a big money fight in the future, possibly a rematch with Duddy, who loses for the first time as a professional, falling to 26-1. Duddy’s performance could also be blamed on his weight. Personally, this writer feels that he would campaign better at 160 lbs rather the 154. It may be too much of a strain on the 29 yr old. If you’re Duddy you’re begging Main Events to get a rematch with Lyell as soon as the cut heals. Let’s see what the future brings!