Ireland’s John Duddy loved boxing but boxing never loved him as much he did it.
So, at the age of 31 and having lost in a title shot against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Ireland’s John Duddy was looking at a nice, $100,000 plus St. Patrick’s Weekend paynight against countryman Andy Lee, the Derryman against the lad from Limerick.
On Tuesday, realizing he had lost his zest for training and fighting, Ireland’s John Duddy looked in the mirror and told himself the truth.
Then, the 29-2, 18 KOs, fighter pulled the plug on his career, 20 years of living as a fighter must and now the end.
Here’s the word from RTE in Ireland:
“The battle of the Irish middleweights was scheduled to take place in Connecticut on the undercard of the Sergio Martinez versus Serhiy Dzinziruk bout on March 12.
“The Derry Destroyer released a statement on Tuesday confirming that he had retired after ‘a great deal of soul-searching’ and stated that his decision is final stating, ‘I give you my word; I will not come back’.
“In many ways, continuing to fight would be the easy course of action. I have been offered the opportunity to fight Andy Lee on HBO for a purse in excess of $100,000. A win would put me in position to fight for a world championship. This is not an opportunity that I cast aside lightly.
“For more than twenty years, I loved being a boxer. I still feel that it’s an enormous honor to be a boxer. But I don’t love it anymore.
“I no longer have the enthusiasm and willingness to make the sacrifices that are necessary to honour the craft of prizefighting. I used to love going to the gym. Now it’s a chore. I wish I still had the hunger, but I don’t. The fire has burned out. And I know myself well enough to know that it won’t return. ” Instead of damning Duddy, who leaves him with a major hole on his Foxwoods card, promoter Lou DiBella praised Duddy for making what he called “a courageous decision.
“A lot of guys would have and a lot of guys in a similar situation, knowing they did not have it anymore, have taken the money and run. Those guys have done that but John Duddy did not,” DiBella said.
“At first, sure, I was upset but John doesn’t have the stomach for it anymore and I’ve got nothing but best wishes for him down the road. John, whatever his limitations, always came to fight and was an honest fighter in the ring.
“No one ever said John Duddy defrauded the fans.”
Trying to keep close to the Irish theme, DiBella said a possible replacement foe for the tall, hard-hitting southpaw Lee (handled by Manny Steward) is Coach Freddie Roach’s Scottish veteran Craig McIntosh McEwan.
McEwan, who is from Edinburgh, is a 6-1 lefthander with a 19-0, 10 knockouts record. He is aligned with Golden Boy.
Lefty Lee owns a record 24-1 with 18 KOs. He is handled by Emanuel Steward of Kronk Gym/Thomas Hearns fame.
“I looked to Peter Manfredo (for an Italian-Irish matchup) but Peter is still too banged from the fight he won on ESPN last Friday night in Key West.”
Duddy was backed the bar-restaurant owning McLaughlin Brothers and then abruptly dumped them to align with manager Craig Hamilton, sparking a lawsuit between the parties.
Duddy’s only other pro defeat was at the hands of 18-7 journeyman Billy Lyell. He also struggled with ancient Yory Boy Campas and the nothing special Walid Smichet along the way.
