February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Fighting in the U.S. outside of New York for the first time, Duddy boxed with ruthless intent against the more experienced Hock, who went into the bout with more knockouts (7) on his 10-4-1 ledger than the Derry native had fights.
By the start of the fourth stanza, the 5-foot-10 Duddy’s quick and heavy hands had dealt enough damage to the squat and compact 5-5 Hock to make the final outcome a foregone conclusion.
While living up to his Philadelphia hometown’s reputation for producing hard-boiled pugs, Hock was rocked several times and sent to the canvas by a
left-right combination in the third round.
The end came a minute and 23 seconds into the last round when referee Dick Flaherty intervened to save Hock from further punishment after an exchange of punches, awarding the wildly popular Duddy a TKO victory that upped his record to 4-0 (4 KOs).
It was an impressive performance by Duddy on an ESPN2 “Friday Night Fights” show promoted by DiBella Entertainment (though his win was not televised).
“I think this is the best fight I’ve had. It was a valuable experience,” said the 24-year-old prospect, face unmarked after being extended past the first round for the first time in the pros. “He was a strong guy, very durable and I’m pleased with my performance.”
Duddy wasn’t entirely smug with his effort, though.
“There was a lot more I could have been doing, like pressing him more with jabs and catching him with body shots,” he pointed out.
The jab was still a useful weapon, unlike in his three previous fights. It was a factor in keeping the little man at bay in the first two rounds.
Hock also absorbed a lot of hooks — Duddy’s best punch — and lead rights.
Midway through the second round, Duddy caught his man with a right hand that unbalanced Hock. But showing remarkable discipline and patience under new trainer Harry Keith, Duddy elected to continue chopping away at his stump-like opponent instead of opening up.
He also displayed a much better defense. A solid puncher as suggested by his 7 KOs, Hock landed a few shots in the second round and again in the third.
However, he was never able to muster any consistent offense.
There was praise all round from Duddy’s handlers for the fighter’s display after a flash knockdown in his previous bout — against Lenny Laudat last November — heightened concerns about his crowd pleasing, albeit risky, slugging style.
“This was the fight we wanted,” said Duddy’s delighted mentor Eddie McLoughlin, who approved the bout with a warning that his charge would have to outbox Hock and not slug with him to prevail.
“We moved up a few steps in this one. We knew he wouldn’t blow him out,” McLoughlin added.
“Tonight he was thinking and setting up punches,” cutman Al Gavin observed. “I’ve seen Hock fight before and I’ve never seen him abused like this. He got a spanking.”
Coach Keith, making his debut in Duddy’s corner along side Neil Ferraro, was pleased with what he saw.
“I thought he did a good job,” he said. “A [few] minor adjustments have to be made, but he’s learning. He had a durable guy in front of him and he gave a 200 percent effort.”
The Queens-based Duddy is now scheduled to return to Ireland for a few weeks, while McLoughlin and his brothers, Tony and Martin, plan the Derryman’s next fight, tentatively during St. Patrick’s Day week.
The McLoughlins also have to mull over several offers from promoters wooing the popular prizefighter.
Among Duddy’s admirers is Lou DiBella, impresario of the Mohegan Sun card.
“I think he’s a lot of fun to watch. I’d love to work with him on a permanent basis,” DiBella, an emerging force in the business, said before Friday’s card.