Boxing Roundup: Duddy takes short route in Mansfield

They weren’t disappointed.
Taken eight rounds in his two previous bouts over the summer, Duddy needed just 61 seconds to drill Joseph Brady, a now 13-5-1 (6 KOs) middleweight out of New Mexico, in the main event of New England Ringside Promotion’s “Mayhem in Mansfield” card.
Moore, meanwhile, survived a scary second round knockdown to flatten the veteran Hollister Elliott in the third stanza of their scheduled six-rounder. The busy Arklow-born light middleweight notched his second KO in three wins since turning pro early last month, while Elliott, who debuted in 1985 but has fought on and off since, fell to 6-15-1 (2 KOs).
Enough drama for the New England fans?
“Too much drama,” trainer Harry Keitt smiled, referring to Moore’s three-round scrap with the 43-year-old Trinidadian.
“He got hit with a punch I guess he didn’t see coming,” Keitt said of Moore’s trip to the canvas. “He drops his left hand and pulls out. The guy caught him with an overhand right on the top of the head — that shot always takes away your equilibrium.”
From his corner’s vantage point, Moore, who’s 27, seemed to go down in slow motion. He was up at the count of six but in Keitt’s estimation, groggy.
Keitt screamed at his charge to tie up the charging Elliott, who smelling blood came out swinging. But it was the no nonsense trainer’s admonishment in the corner that probably sparked Moore.
“I told him if you don’t go out and stop this [expletive], I’m going to stop the fight.”
Moore shot back with an expletive of his own, went out and stopped Elliott with a paralyzing left hook to the ribs.
“It was a good experience for him,” Keitt summed up, while lauding Moore’s punching power.
In the main event, Duddy hardly broke a sweat in blowing out Brady.
He floored the Albuquerque native early with a stiff straight right and one-two combination, and after Brady had beaten the count sent him down again for the count with a vicious left hook.
It was the undefeated Duddy’s 11th via the short route in 12 victories.
According to Irish Ropes boss Eddie McLoughlin, Moore will maintain his hectic schedule with an appearance on a show in upstate Monticello on Oct. 14, before he shares another card with Duddy in Manhattan on Nov. 4.

COLLINS SNUBBED
Paschal Collins’s latest comeback attempt came to nothing in Mansfield when his opponent, Khalif Shabazz, was a no-show at the official weigh-in.
The super middleweight brother of former two-time world champion Steve Collins was undeterred.
“I’ll keep training away and hope to get something,” said the 34-year-old (13-2-1, 4 KOs), whose last bout was a four-round points loss to Richard Grant in Rhode Island in May 1999.

DUNNE TITLE TILT
Bernard Dunne will drop down a division to challenge for the fringe IBC super bantamweight title in Dublin on Oct. 14. Formerly based in Los Angeles, the unbeaten featherweight (16-0, 9 KOs) from Neilstown will meet light hitting 30 year-old English southpaw Noel Wilders (24-3-1, 6 KOs) for the vacant crown.

FAGAN HOMECOMING
Oklahoma light welterweight Oisin Fagan, who left Dublin as a budding soccer star in 1998, will return as a prizefighter to make his home debut on the Dunne-Wilders undercard.
“I’m really looking forward to it, but I still don’t know who I’m fighting yet,” said Fagan (8-3, 5 KOs). “There were a few names thrown out there, but to be honest, I’ll be ready for anybody since it will be my debut fight back home, since starting my pro career.”
The 31-year-old physical education teacher will be eager to impress. “If I do well [on Oct. 14] and do well in the next couple of fights in Dublin, I should be in line for an Irish title shot at some stage next year, so that’s something I’ll be striving for,” he said.

CITIZEN McCULLOUGH
Ulsterman Wayne McCullough, who’s still dreaming of fighting again, became a U.S. citizen recently 12 years after settling in Las Vegas.
“Even though I was born in Belfast, I have spent the last 12 1/2 years living in the USA. My daughter was born here and (wife/manager) Cheryl, Wynona and I have a fantastic life in the States.
“I will always think of Belfast as being my hometown but I am now an American citizen and for that I am honored. I came to America to live the American Dream and I did just that.”
On his future, the former WBC bantamweight titlist, who’s 35, said:
“Many people assumed I would retire after my last fight. But why? I have been medically cleared and [promoter] Dan is working on putting together my next fight. I’d love to get a third fight with Larios – maybe in Dublin – or a shot at Mayhar Monshippour the WBA Champion. Obviously I’d love to fight in Belfast and Dublin again so that is the plan. Dan Goossen will come through for me — he always does.”
McCullough’s record fell to 27-6 (18 KOs) after his 10th round TKO defeat to WBC super bantamweight titlist Oscar Larios last July — his second loss to the Mexican in five months.