Duddy edges out Eastman by Steve Wellings Dec 11th 2007

The fighting pride of Derry, John Duddy (11 stone 5lb 4oz) scored a close but fair 96-94 triumph over veteran performer Howard Eastman (11 stone 6lb) at the King's Hall, Belfast on Saturday 8th December. The ardent crowd nearly raised the roof as Duddy entered the ring while Howard was met with a cacophony of boos and as soon as I noticed referee Sean Russell was to score the main event I knew Eastman would have to win big. It was difficult to see much during the first three rounds as youngsters in front stood on seats and furiously waved tricolour flags, obscuring the view of people behind them. Eastman was not fussed by the reception as he took centre ring and pawed the jab as Duddy went for the big hooks. I scored the first and the second both 10-9 to Duddy as he stayed busy and landed good shots, wobbling Howard and scoring with two left hooks inside. Eastman stood between rounds and it benefited him as he took the third with a good jab and some big right hands; Duddy replied by using his new found left hook but it wasn't enough. Eastman then swept the next three to take a 56-58 lead on my card as he used a brutal uppercut to send Duddy's head flying back as the left hook started additionally began to work well. His uppercut helped secure an impressive fifth as the jab sent sweat spraying from Duddy's static head and a brief respite occurred as Howard's gumshield was restored. Two rights to the Irishman's body opened the sixth as Duddy replied with solid shots but Easman could not miss with his head punches. Duddy walked forward catching blows as has become his trademark but just as the fight seemed to be swinging indefinitely in the Guyana man's favour, John returned with a winning seventh. The usual sight of swelling had appeared on his right eye in the form of a bump and as Eastman flirted with southpaw John was having a better round. He could and should have been cutting the ring off better but even loose tape on the glove could not curtail his charge as a 10-9 round brought him within a point of his adversary. The eighth was more difficult to notch up and I scored it level as Eastman engaged in some gamesmanship combined with a sneak right hook countered by Duddy's rediscovered jab and a left hook/uppercut in close. It was all hinging on the final two and could swing either way; who wanted it more? After a faltering mid section of the contest John Duddy pulled out the final two sessions by edging in with jabs and making the older man work. A cut had developed over the problem right eye (which would later require stitches) but selected hooks and sly moves to make Eastman miss won it for the Derry man. Howard was posing and clinching and dropped in a few rabbit punches for good measure, unperturbed John battled on. Eastman remained standing in between rounds and this very close fight was dead level 86-86 on my card. Duddy landed a left hook and Eastman returned a huge right hand as excess water on each man's head exaggerated the effect of some of the telling shots as it went spraying off into the fluorescent lights. Duddy has some chin, he moves into range and works that little bit harder and just wants it slightly more. I scored it 96-95 to Duddy but it was mighty close and the figure of Sean Russell confirmed to me that the Irish fighter had got the result. One point wider at 96-94, Duddy asserted the best win of his career and addressed the fans with a microphone but the deafening noise made it hard to hear what he was saying. Most at ringside had Duddy winning including my extremely likeable companion for the night, Danny Flexen from Boxing News, who had Duddy winning 96-94 from the chaotic fervour of ringside. Dungiven southpaw Paul McCloskey (9 stone 13lb 4oz) wrapped up the vacant IBF Intercontinental light-welterweight title with an impressive fourth round stoppage over faded Tontcho Tontchev (9 stone 12lb 13oz). Mark Green oversaw this scheduled 12 rounder in which McCloskey dominated his virtually shot opponent with an easy display of punch picking and outside boxing. McCloskey got the big build up and Tontchev looked ready for action but it was a hoax as he spun around the outside of the ring as McCloskey picked and probed with stinging shots. A Tontchev left hook was met with a cracking right uppercut as McCloskey put the seal on a sound opener taking it 10-9 and setting the pattern straight away. Paul's fluid movement bemused the Bulgarian whose best days are clearly long behind him as McCloskey picked shots at will off the southpaw jab including a lead left hook and right to head and body. The third was painfully one sided and I may have been generous but I scored it 10-8 for McCloskey as Tontchev's single left hook was met with a salvo of 2.30 minutes of unanswered shots. Big left hooks and rights to the body saw Tontchev hurt more than once and his skull rocked back and forth as McCloskey stalked. I was thinking it was time Tontchev was pulled out and it seemed he was being given one more round to salvage the futile task as Paul started where he left off with careful combinations. Tontchev should retire; it was getting sad to watch as two cuffing left hooks (the second of which only half landed) put him onto his haunches. He rose and timidly looked at Mark Green who had seen enough and halted the fight to no protest from the former quality amateur. The fight was a good win on paper but in reality Tontchev was badly faded which was no fault of McCloskey who was immaculate in fulfilling his part of the bargain. The time of stoppage was officially announced at 2.46 of the fourth. Hang them up please, Mr. Tontchev. Stephen Haughian (10 stone 6lb 10oz) was unlucky as he dropped a split decision while challenging for the IBF Intercontinental welterweight title against holder Giammario Grassellini (10 stone 5lb 10oz). One judge favoured Haughian by 115-113 while the other two (including Englishman Mark Green) swung the way of the champion by the same score. The Lurgan man enjoyed fervent support including a selective pocket at the back of the hall who cheered his every move but it was the Italian who surprisingly took the spoils. Referee Ian John-Lewis took charge of the contest after Grassellini entered to demonic music, eager to fire himself up while the media at ringside buzzed around Irish middleweight Andy Lee. Haughian was taller and immediately took centre ring behind a solid jab and compact style, using his sharper punches to keep Grassellini on the outside. Haughian stalked and landed a good left hook to Grassellini's looping replies as the shorter Italian tried to close range. Haughian picked up this round 10-9 on my card and also the second round by the same margin as he blocked a lot on his arms and gloves and landed a good right hand which drew a smile and nod of the head from Grassellini who continued his wide, winging shots from out of range. He also shook his right hand occasionally indicating it was maybe damaged, but whatever the reason was it never became a factor in the contest. By the third, Grassellini was becoming slightly desperate but never discouraged as Haughian landed a single jab followed by a crisp right hand, even dropping a right in to the boy for good measure. He was doing the better work in my eyes and took the round. Grassellini was still smiling in the fourth but had no answers as Haughian's jabs continued to land and the follow ups did there job with Stephen cutting off the ring well. Haughian had a 40-36 lead on my card after the fourth and with the fight seemingly slipping away Grassellini responded in the fifth by roughing Haughian up but expending a lot of energy doing so. He took an extended time out after a low blow much to the crowd's annoyance and a break to pull his cup up was certain gamesmanship. However, I gave him a much needed round but it was short lived as Haughian swept the sixth, seventh and eighth as he blocked and countered well despite a small swelling under his left optic. Both were taking a slight breather in the eighth but when Haughian seemed to hurt Grassellini in the ninth, John Breen and the corner waved their charge in frantically. Grassellini regrouped and won the ninth round despite going down from a slip as he started avoiding the punches and increasing his output. The Italian narrowed the gap in the tenth with another winner as he landed crisper shots despite Haughian's best efforts to counter. The eleventh was a point of contention as Haughian got in with some solid single blows but Grassellini worked hard and stole in with an uppercut. I scored it level, maintaining a four point margin in favour of the Irishman and giving him an unassailable lead going into the final round. He lost this session on my card as Grassellini thought he was cut early but fought back to take it narrowly, this said I still felt Haughian had done enough. Clearly two of the men who count did not agree and Stephen was left to add up unlucky thirteen as he suffered his first professional defeat; for the record I scored it 116-113 in his favour. In an Irish light-welterweight title clash, East Belfast scrapper James Gorman (9 stone 11lb 6oz) went in with unbeaten prospect Andrew Murray (9 stone 10lb 10oz) from Cavan Town. This was a 10x3's bout with Gorman fresh off the back of a Northern Ireland Area title win and referee David Irving was the man left with the decision. Irving was not needed in this capacity as the bout ended bizarrely in the fourth round after Murray had suffered a nasty cut over his right eye and the bout was halted. As the cut was from a head clash, the strange Irish association rules declared they go to the scorecards even though four rounds has not been completed. Mr. Irving's card had Murray deservedly ahead 30-27 and he took the title by sort of default and whichever odd way they made it to the verdict at least they came to the right one. Up to that point Murray had been well in control displaying a variety of quality shots and accurate left jabs that skewered Gorman back, followed by left hooks and right crosses. James came forward but Andrew's quality was evident and this continued into the second as the better amateur showed his more rounded arsenal. Gorman came out and pressured for the first minute of the rounds until Murray established a rhythm. His uppercut found a home in the third and a left to the body as his smooth work dictated although Gorman landed a sporadic flurry mid round rocking Murray's head back. In the fourth after a purposeful start Murray grimaced and held his head as a bad cut became evident and it appeared the fight had been stopped in Gorman's favour. It was a mystery as to the outcome until the time was called at 1.09 of the round and the MC announced the decision. The eerie quiet lifted and Murray received warm applause for his win and first professional belt; he looks one to watch. In another 10x3's Irish title fight, this time at light-middleweight, local favourite Ciaran Healy produced his best career performance to halt Lee Murtagh in the fifth round. This looked a cert of a distance fight as both were relative non-punchers but Healy applied the pressure and broke Murtagh at 1.55 of the fifth stanza. A close opening round was a feeling out session as Murtagh circled and missed while Healy stalked and tried the left hook for size. If this one was even then I gave the second to Healy as he caught Lee disorganised and used his grizzled determination to steal it despite some messy clinches. Murtagh opened the third with a right hook as Healy leaned in for the body but then a Healy head first charge made Murtagh wince. Healy looked a little frustrated and was blowing from Murtagh's evasive tactics as Lee stole another close round 10-9. The fourth was to prove a turning point in the fight as a surprise left hook from Healy dropped Murtagh and he sheepishly rose, sporting a welt under his right eye. Healy took this one 10-8 as he did the better pressing work but it was irrelevant come the fifth as Healy finished the job. Murtagh's right eye was cut and a series of solid blows from Healy had him stagger a silly dance and slump to the canvas, to be counted out by the referee. A delighted Healy enjoyed his new belt then the ringside ovation and embraced Murtagh who may not have a lot left in the game to offer. Unbeaten Belfast prospect Martin Lindsay (9 stone 2lb 2oz) stretched his winning streak to ten as he won on points over 8x3's against veteran operator Edison Torres (9 stone) at Super Featherweight. Lindsay growled with every punch and landed good left hooks –some of which strayed behind the head - as he took a focused opener. He also won the second and third 10-9 on my card as he rocked Torres in centre ring and jabbed away at his slowed opponent who liked the take breathers on the ropes. Lindsay had some swelling above his right eye but it was not an issue as he carried on throwing, slowed only by referee Irving's warning for a low blow in the third. Torres elected to stand between rounds and showed some more ambition in the fourth as Lindsay paced himself; this pattern continued into the fifth as the Venezuelan adopted the role of counter puncher. By this point I had not given Torres a round although his savvy work on the ropes was frustrating Martin and he landed one after the bell of the sixth but was profusely apologetic about the indiscretion. I gave Edison a belated share of the seventh as he did more work in a scrappy round but Lindsay resumed control in the eighth after that minor aberration. Torres turned aggressor and even though Martin was a little predictable he landed a good combination and ran out an 80-73 winner on my card. Referee David Irving had it closer at 79-75 but the correct man won. Welterweight hope Willie Thompson (10 stone 12lb 12oz) looked much improved in recording a 40-38 win on Paul McCullach's card over journeyman Duncan Cottier (10 stone 13lb 10oz) over 4x3's. In his last bout Thompson had been dragged into a hug and hold affair with Peter Dunn but made use of his extra room here to maintain his perfect slate to 4-0. Thumping left hooks to head and body made sure Cottier was safer on his bike as Willie closed the range effectively. In the second he showed a good jab and punch variety as the right and left hooks probed the torso of his opponent. After taking the third round Thompson was pushed back in the fourth as a game Cottier rallied for a share of the round after a solid right hook found its target. I scored it 40-37 to Thompson while Mr. McCullach had it closer, by two points. Peter Dunn (11 stone 4lb 8oz) made a welcomed return to these parts and was extremely unlucky to come away empty handed after his 4x2's with debutant Damian Taggart (10 stone 9lb 10oz). Referee Sean Russell – a suspect lone scorer - favoured the home favourite by a ridiculous 40-36 shutout despite Dunn's best efforts for the eight minutes. Taggart was nervous in the opener and Dunn landed a solid left hook and intelligent pressure on his man in a round I marked equal. Peter's good work persisted into the second as he scored with right hooks and a few good body shots; I gave him it 10-9. Taggart crept into it in the third with a better jab and even though Peter landed a right hook it seemed Damian sneaked a 10-9. All resting on the last round, Peter went hell for leather and dominated his less experience foe with right hooks and a few lefts for good measure. Dunn has been in the game a long time and just walked off to his corner as usual after the final bell sounded, Taggart had his hand raised for victory. I scored it 39-38 in Dunn's favour as did a few others seated nearby at a sparse ringside. A one point shift the other way could have maybe been accepted, but a shutout could not be justified. In a 4x3's show opener another first-timer Kaine Brodie (12 stone 3lb 12oz) looked one to watch as he outwitted Latvian Andrei Tolstihs (11 stone 11lb 12oz) over 4x3's at light-heavyweight. Referee Paul McCullagh marked it 40-36, the same as myself as the looser Brodie got into a groove from the off against the upright Eastern European. There was a hearty English following seated behind us making plenty of noise for Brodie as he swelled Tolstih's face and battered him on the ropes in the second round. Some lively exchanges and quality flurries won the third as Brodie remained in firm rule and a busy finisher sealed the formality of a decision. Brodie needs to watch about a few of his shots creeping low but that apart looked sound on his debut and could be one for the future. In the 4x3's show closer Alo Kelly had to contend with the hustle and bustle of the departing crowd but registered a stoppage win over an unhappy Sandris Tomson. Paul McCullagh refereed this light-heavyweight bout and Kelly must be highly regarded as Don Turner worked his corner. A straight right to the body had the off balance Tomson down early into the fight and his nose was reddened by the Kelly jab. That round was 10-8 and Tomson took a deep breath in the second when Kelly exploded a left hook to his chest and more jabs. Game but outclassed, the Latvian made a fist of it but often fell back after his own wild swings threw him off balance. Two hooks to the body and a couple of low blows had Tomson reeling before a right hook dropped him heavily. He rose but the referee had seen enough; an angry Tomson protested until his lone corner man calmed the tough guy down. He had nothing to be ashamed of, being stopped at 1.54 of the third whilst Kelly marches on undefeated with only a draw blemishing his pro record. At the post-fight press conference promoter Brian Peters confirmed the 6,000 sell out show as one of the best nights of his career while John Duddy felt he had won well and gained priceless experience. “I moved my head better and hopefully there is plenty more to come,” he added. Howard Eastman was predictably unhappy with the verdict and citing his warrior instinct says he was beaten by the judges with Duddy a good fighter but not the right winner. “I feel gutted, the judges weren't fair,” he said, referring to Sean Russell's 96-94 scorecard. “I enjoyed the fight even though the home crowd booed me,” Howard said before a lengthy talk on how they need to be careful stepping Duddy up as he will get hurt. Some members of the press questioned Eastman's pattern of complaining about decisions while Robert McCracken looked disinterested and Don Turner sat sporting a wry smile. McCracken spoke briefly about a great fight and the tremendous crowd support but refused to get drawn into the negativity surrounding the decision on Howard's part. Howard has no plans to retire: “I'm 37 and I feel great despite the decision. I found out that when you go into a man's back yard you got to knock him out.” John Duddy was more softly spoken and retorted to questions in his defence by saying “I'm a boxer I will take shots and even though I slackened off in the seventh I was in great condition and had a good workrate.  I showed improvement on the little things and I didn't work his body like I should have." Duddy felt complimented that Kelly Pavlik's people were talking about him but it seems Matt Vanda is being lined up as the next opponent on February 2nd on America's East Coast. That should support the Don King headliner of Maskaev v Peter and Brian Peters also mentioned possible discussions with European champion Sebastian Sylvester's team. Peters also said he would pursue a rematch for Stephen Haughian with Giammario Grassellini. Finally Duddy was asked about whether he had ever been to the King's Hall as a spectator before, to which he candidly replied “No I have not, but why be at them when you can star in them?!” Final Notes: Before the main event joint MC Harry McGavock introduced several faces of Ulster boxing to the crowd in the form of John Kelly, Freddie Gilroy, Johnny Caldwell, Dave “Boy” McAuley and Barney Eastwood. After the press conference Mr. Flexen and I jaunted on down to a local hotel to watch the Hatton-Mayweather contest. It was a sad sight watching Ricky's reign end in tatters but Mayweather was superior. We both agreed that Escobedo had beaten Ponce De Leon and that Manfredo-Lacy was a stinker!

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