How good is John Duddy?

[Leeroy]

Only seen him fight twice. Does he have what it takes to one day be a champion,or will he be a gateway contender?

[hopkinsfan07]

he will never ever be in the top 10 P4P

[MSTR]

Only seen him fight twice. Does he have what it takes to one day be a champion,or will he be a gateway contender?
At best a modern day Arturo Gatti. Even then that is a bit of a tough call on Gatti. Gatti was still a multiple weight division world champion, something I have trouble seeing Duddy ever becoming.

[Tko4]

Above mediocre, not far enough above to win a title. I've probably seen 6 of his fights, and they've been getting progressly tougher for him to win.

[Leeroy]

At best a modern day Arturo Gatti. Even then that is a bit of a tough call on Gatti. Gatti was still a multiple weight division world champion, something I have trouble seeing Duddy ever becoming.

What I saw was a limmited,but very tough fighter - you can tell he has heart and a decent chin.

Who knows though,he might be able to take the next step and take his game on another level.

[Lance_Uppercut]

I would be surprised if he didn't win a title. Shit, there are so many belts, and so many BULLSHIT ranking to make fighters hold on, anything is possible. I don't know if I see him as some cream of the crop fighters, but who really gives a fuck. He'll likely entertain us no matter what.

[brick city]

Champion, not a chance.

[marzblkman]

I think he's a Very solid guy that a good, "experienced" trainer could mold into something. He jabs well, has average to good defense, moves decently and seems to have a good array of punches.

Most importantly he's not predicable which is where I disagree with the Gatti comparison.

I'd like to see him "tested" before he takes a title shot though..

[Illmatic]

Gateway. He'll be a good tv fighter, along the lines of Danny Lopez, but not a champion or a serious contender for that matter...

But, hey, I said the same thing about Pavlik too....I do like the guy a lot though, he shows a ton of respect, wants to please his fans and works hard

[hopkinsfan07]

how far do people think Duddy is from Pavlik

[MSTR]

how far do people think Duddy is from Pavlik
A fair way. Duddy is strong but doesn't have the technical ability to put his punches together like Pavlik. Pavlik is IMO stronger then duddy also. The way he walked through Miranda was VERY impressive.

[brooklyn1550]

how far do people think Duddy is from Pavlik

Well behind...not on the same level

I think Duddy will be an all action fighter who falls short of becoming a champion...think a middleweight poor-man's Micky Ward.

[iceman]

Duddy is very tough,has a good chin, average skills,decent power but a piss-poor defense and as his last few fights have shown he cuts too easily.I think he is tailormade for Pavlik but he could trouble the other champs.

[Vantage_West]

a modern day Arturo Gatti

:good no defence but all power and heart not a world beater but will show some good fights along the way dont tarnish him now folks

[Jinx]

Duddy will never be an elite at 160, but he's good enough to make a name for himself and beat the C-level fighters...

[A-50]

they are going to cash him out in a title fight just like they did Gerry Cooney wait and see.

[WhataRock]

He is going to be very popular because of his style, he is good looking & charismatic and he is white.
I mean a black or hispanic version of Duddy would have almost about the widespread popularity but fact is blacks like to follow blacks, hispanics follow hispanics and white people like to follow white people. Its just the way things are.

I dont think he is an elite fighter but he will get plenty of T.V fights and probably several title shots (like Gatti did) when he isnt necessarily the most deserving. At some stage he could definitely pick up a trinket from 160-168.
He should be in some great fights before he retires, maybe not the next Gatti but he might get close.

[MSTR]

He is going to be very popular because of his style, he is good looking & charismatic and he is white.
I mean a black or hispanic version of Duddy would have almost about the widespread popularity but fact is blacks like to follow blacks, hispanics follow hispanics and white people like to follow white people. Its just the way things are.

I dont think he is an elite fighter but he will get plenty of T.V fights and probably several title shots (like Gatti did) when he isnt necessarily the most deserving. At some stage he could definitely pick up a trinket from 160-168.
He should be in some great fights before he retires, maybe not the next Gatti but he might get close.
I don't agree with the section of your post that states that people follow fighters because of their skin colour. More often then not nationality is the biggest factor in people supporting a particular fighter, that IMO followed by fighting style. Tonnes of Americans supported Jeff Lacy and likewise they do now with Kelly Pavlik. Different coloured fighters but both with the same nationality and aggressive fighting style.

[WhataRock]

I don't agree with the section of your post that states that people follow fighters because of their skin colour. More often then not nationality is the biggest factor in people supporting a particular fighter, that IMO followed by fighting style. Tonnes of Americans supported Jeff Lacy and likewise they do now with Kelly Pavlik. Different coloured fighters but both with the same nationality and aggressive fighting style.

Look at the crowd when a mexican-american is fighting its mostly mexican.
Same when a filipino is fighting, filipinos come to watch.

Look at a crowd especially when an up and coming black fighter is fighter there are a lot of black people in the audience cheering him on.
Im sure Malignaggi has tonnes of Italians turning out to see him fight.

Duddy pulls the Irish crowd (and probably the Scots-Irish crowd), which constitutes 12% of the 200 million plus white americans.

Its not meant to be a blanket statement, when fighters get to the elite level they are just followed by whoever likes them. But guys like Duddy who are coming up, certainly at first attract a certain demographic.

[MSTR]

Look at the crowd when a mexican-american is fighting its mostly mexican.
Same when a filipino is fighting, filipinos come to watch.

Look at a crowd especially when an up and coming black fighter is fighter there are a lot of black people in the audience cheering him on.
Im sure Malignaggi has tonnes of Italians turning out to see him fight.

Duddy pulls the Irish crowd (and probably the Scots-Irish crowd), which constitutes 12% of the 200 million plus white americans.

Its not meant to be a blanket statement, when fighters get to the elite level they are just followed by whoever likes them. But guys like Duddy who are coming up, certainly at first attract a certain demographic.
Even in your post though your pointing to people supporting nationality not skin colour. Mexicans supporting Mexicans. Italians supporting Italians. I don't often find Americans supporting Joe Calzaghe or Ricky Hatton because they are white..... People support fighters most often IMO out of pride for their country. I think the reason Duddy will be popular is because fights out of America but with Irish Heritage, much like Vargas being mexican but fighting out of the us, or Kostya being russian but fighting out of Australia.

[tays001]

never seen him fight just high light so i realy can't judge him

[Hrak]

His a good offensive fighter, but gets hit way too much. I think he will get KO'd as soon as he steps up to an elite fighter with a punch.

[WhataRock]

Even in your post though your pointing to people supporting nationality not skin colour. Mexicans supporting Mexicans. Italians supporting Italians. I don't often find Americans supporting Joe Calzaghe or Ricky Hatton because they are white..... People support fighters most often IMO out of pride for their country. I think the reason Duddy will be popular is because fights out of America but with Irish Heritage, much like Vargas being mexican but fighting out of the us, or Kostya being russian but fighting out of Australia.

For a guy fighting in America thats what that means.
Just like over hear an "Aussie", which should mean any person who is Australian by nationality, is often an Anglo-Celtic person.
Most White americans are of German descent but for obvious reasons people dont claim it as much as people being Irish.
Its different in America dude, they are working the Irish angle but its also because he is a white guy coming up in a division that has traditionally been dominated by black guys. He is something different much like how Cooney was hyped because of his skin colour.

Dont get me wrong MSTR by far the main reason Duddy will appeal to people because of his style and charisma.

[RAMPAGE0017]

An elite Gatekeeper. Strong jab, decent power, and tough. But he has shoddy defense, likes to brawl, and really isnt much of a boxer. I have seen four his fights, and he really hasnt gotten much better. He fights his heart out, but I just dont get the sense that really has much room to improve. Personally I thought he lost the fight against Yory Boy Campas. Campas gave him the fight of his life, for anyone who didnt see it. Campas went to the trenches with him and took all of his best shots, and Duddys face looked like Roast Beef by the end. That convinced me Duddy would never be a great champion. A good fighter, but not great. Maybe with a HOF trainer he could get a little better, but he doesnt really shine in any area, I at least havent seen anything that made me think "wow, this kid has the talent to be a champ".


Yory Boy was well past his best, as well. Which is exactly why I don't ever see Duddy becoming a top 10 fighter in any weight division.

[Vincent Gottschalk]

Duddy is a good action fighter who will win a title, ones Pavlik moves up and they split the titles again. But Duddy will have a hard time holding on too a title because he cuts too easy:hat

[Rock0052]

I think Duddy's got the potential to pick up an alphabet title here or there depending on matchups, but he's not the kind of guy who will hold on to it for 5+ defenses and be a threat to unify.

I think the comparisons to Gatti and Lopez are really a "best case" scenario for him, but I can see the point. If he's a solid contender (which isn't a stretch for him) and continues to give exciting fights, I think that should be enough to satisfy most people.

[chewy 22]

I think the americans are picking the wrong irishman to support. they should support Andy Lee, whose a much better fighter

[Rock0052]

I think the americans are picking the wrong irishman to support. they should support Andy Lee, whose a much better fighter

Trust me, I've got much higher expectations out of Lee. :deal

[Irish Steel]

Duddy will be a top ten contender. Easily. He'll most likely get an alphabet tile, maybe even two at once, but wont unify them, or even hold them for very long. Mainly because of cuts. Just like Cooney, or Quarry. Good, but didnt get a world title mainly because of cuts.

[Rumsfeld]

Very good, very entertaining, but not great and a fair cry from elite.

If managed properly, he can have a very good future. Or, he might become a non-factor overnight. Either way, nobody will ever confuse him as the best in any division.

Fun to watch, though.

[the_what]

New York hype job. Will never amount to anything great.

Now Andy Lee is the real deal.