He declined to say how much he was looking for to release his world-ranked middleweight [25-0, 17 KOs] whom he signed to a three-year promotional contract in 2006. Duddy also wants to break ties with manager Tony McLoughlin, Eddie’s younger brother.
The elder McLoughlin was speaking two days after both he and the want-away Duddy’s advisors met in a Manhattan court.
According to the County Mayo-born impresario, the judge encouraged both parties to sort things out between themselves and gave a scenario on how the case would proceed if they couldn’t.
McLoughlin said his attorney and Duddy’s legal team were talking.
LEE vs. SMICHET?
McLoughlin would be willing to allow Duddy to fight under a different promoter in New York City during St. Patrick’s Day week if an intriguing bout he has planned fails to materialize.
Irish Ropes are offering Andy Lee, Ireland’s other world middleweight prospect, a fight with Walid Smichet, the Canadian-based Tunisian who came close to upsetting Duddy at Madison Square Garden in February last year.
Duddy labored to a ten-round majority decision but suffered severe cuts that effectively scuttled a guaranteed shot at WBC-WBO 160-pound champion Kelly Pavlik.
“I’ll let [John] fight anywhere but New York during St. Patrick’s Day week if I can make the Andy Lee-Smichet fight,” said McLoughlin. “If I can’t make Lee-Smichet, I will let Duddy fight in New York.”
RUTHLESS RUTH
Two-time champion “Ruthless” Ruth O’Sullivan continues her quest for a third title in the New York Daily News Golden Gloves starting later this month.
Dublin-born O’Sullivan won the women’s 106-pound division in 2005 and 2006 and was losing finalist in 2004. She returned to the world’s oldest and largest competition last year after missing the 2007 tournament to have a baby and lost to teenager Laura Ramirez in the final.
The 32 year-old Brooklyn resident is now gunning for a rematch with Ramirez who went on to win the 101-pound national title. Ramirez, who’s 18, has signed up for that division in the 2009 Gloves, but could move up to 106 pounds if entries are low.
At any rate, O’Sullivan is hoping for a good field in the 106-pound division so that s he can see as much action as possible. Last year, when only seven women entered, she had a bye in the quarterfinals before defeating Nicole Dean in the semis.
“I’m hoping for a good entry this year so that I can get some fights,” O’Sullivan said. “I want to feel I’ve accomplished something and not just have one match.”
“I love to box, it’s not like a chore for me,” she added. “It’s just what I do.”
O’Sullivan’s fought once since the 2008 Gloves. That was in November when she beat Natalie Gonzalez on a fourth round disqualification to clinch her fourth New York Metropolitan Boxing Championship title.