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Duddy’s ring return now looks set

February 17, 2011

By Staff Reporter

Confirming a story by Thomas Hauser published on Secondsout.com at the weekend, Irish Ropes boss Eddie McLoughlin said on Monday: “I don’t want to deprive John of making a living. I want to see his [new team] make the millions that they claim we were making off John and not disclosing.”
Irish Ropes, McLoughlin and his brother Tony McLoughlin, Duddy’s estranged manager, are the subject of a lawsuit from the Derry Destroyer in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Among other things, the lawsuit alleges that Irish Ropes breached its promotional obligations by failing to pay Duddy his contractual minimums for fights; violating the financial disclosure provisions of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act; and that Tony McLoughlin breached the fiduciary duty that he owed to Duddy.
In response to Irish Ropes’ decision not to interfere with Duddy’s career, Secondsout quotes Craig Hamilton, Duddy’s boxing advisor, as saying: “That’s fine with us. There’s no way that John will lose the court case. As far as I’m concerned, the escrow account is a savings account for John. The important thing is that now he can fight.”
The Secondsout story also suggests that Irish Ropes’ promotional license could be in jeopardy.
It indicates that following complaints by promoter Cedric Kushner and Duddy to the New York State Athletic Commission [NYSAC] against Irish Ropes and Tony McLoughlin, a preliminary fact-finding hearing was held.
The commission issued complaints of its own charging that Irish Ropes and Tony McLoughlin violated state law and engaged in acts “detrimental to boxing.” The commission further alleged that Tony McLoughlin “breached the fiduciary duties” he owed to Duddy.
A hearing on the commission complaints is scheduled for February 26th. In each instance, the NYSAC is asking the hearing officer to revoke or suspend the respondent’s license and impose the maximum monetary penalties permitted by law.
In the case of Tony McLoughlin, the NYSAC is also asking that the boxer-manager contract be voided.
Secondsout quotes commission chairwoman Melvina Lathan as saying: “Irish Ropes cannot promote a fight in New York until this is resolved, and Tony McLoughlin cannot act as a manager in New York until this is resolved.”
Asked for a comment, a defiant Eddie McLoughlin told the Echo: “If it’s true what they’re saying, let people see if I’ll run my St. Patrick’s Day show.”

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