Duddy returns to MSG

19 January 2010 – By Cormac Campbell

Irish middleweight star John Duddy will be hoping to strengthen his world title aspirations on Saturday night with an impressive victory of Mexican American Juan Astorga at Madison Square Garden.

The Derry Destroyer, 27-1 (17KO), will view the contest as an opportunity to impress Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, whose featherweight title double header of Yuriorkis Gamboa vs Rogers Mtagwa and Juan Manuel Lopez vs Steven Luevano heads the HBO televised card.

In truth, an on form Duddy should have little difficulty in dealing with 31-year-old Astorga, 14-3-1 (9KO) but the bout offers 30-year-old Duddy an opportunity to fully exorcise the demons of last Aprils split decision points defeat to the unheralded Billy Lyell.