Irish middleweight John Duddy was crowned IBA world middleweight champion following victory over Mexican Luis Ramon 'Yori Boy' Campas at the Theatre Club in Madison Square Garden, New York City in the early hours of this morning.
The unbeaten Derryman recorded the 18th victory of his career after being handed a unanimous (115-113, 117-111, 116-112) decision over the former world champion.
Last night's bout for the vacant IBA title was the first time in his spectacular career that Duddy went an entire twelve rounds.
And the 27-year-old Irishman, who fights out of the Irish Ropes gym in New York, proved that he had the stamina and bravery to go the distance despite being cut over both eyes and staggered by Campas in round two.
Campas, 36, a veteran of 96 pro fights, took the opening two rounds, but Duddy changed his tactics and the bout began to even out in the third.
Duddy was on top in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds, but the Mexican shaded the seventh.
However Duddy rocked Campas in the eight and followed that
up with a big ninth as he outboxed his opponent until he was hurt by Campas in the twelfth and final round.
Speaking after the fight Duddy's coach, Harry Keitt said that
it was a proud night for the Irish Ropes but told RTE that his man had to go to hospital to get stitches over both eyes immediately after the fight.
Keitt said: 'John got cut over both eyes and he went to hospital to get some stitches but it ain't nothing serious and he is absolutely thrilled with this victory.
'This was definitely the toughest fight of his career and he handled it well and he will have learned enormously from this.'
Keitt also admitted that he was disappointed with the referee
after Duddy appeared to knock Campas down in the eighth round.
'The referee said that Campas slipped but John dropped him, I have no doubt about it, and we were very disappointed with that
decision.
'But we put that behind us and John was clearly on top between the eight and eleventh round. Campas wasn't boxing at all in the eleventh, but I knew what he was about and I warned John that he was saving himself.
'And sure enough Campas came out strong in the final round, but John closed out the fight and he was a deserved winner in the end of what was a very tough contest.'
Duddys promoter Eddie McLoughlin said that it was a typical no quarter asked or given, Irish versus Mexican boxing match.
He said: 'It was a bruising contest between two men
who were never going to back down. It's nearly always the
same when you put an Irishman and a Mexican in the ring
as neither will give up until the final bell sounds.
'Obviously we are concerned about John as he had the get some stitches over both eyes but he is in great spirits. We are very proud of Johns performance as he proved that he is a world class boxer.'
In a hat-trick of wins for Irish fighters at the Garden last night
Arklow, James Moore maintained his unbeaten record after dropping Willie Cruz two minutes and 41 seconds into round two and Galway born Simon O'Donnell convincingly beat Terence Miller.
