Howard Eastman will be out to turn John Duddy’s Kings Hall dream into a nightmare when they clash at the legendary Belfast venue on Saturday 8 December on the next Hunky Dorys Fight Night – billed 'The Only Show in Town'.
Eastman looks set to provide the Derry middleweight with the sternest test yet of his 22 fight unbeaten career and his CV makes for impressive reading.
The London based Guyana native goes by the sobriquet of the 'Battersea Bomber' and with 35 KO’s from his 42 wins he certainly lives up to the name.
Eastman’s 13 year pro career has seen him compile an awe-inspiring CV – a two time world title challenger, he has enjoyed lengthy reigns as European, Commonwealth and British middleweight champion.
However the bare statistics don’t begin to explain the glorious career of a man who is often touted as one of the best British fighters to never win a world title.
But Eastman still believes there is time to rectify that and a win over Duddy would put him right back in the frame for a third world title tilt.
There was certainly no shame in his previous two bids at world level; a controversial majority decision defeat to WBA champ William Joppy in 2001 and a second points defeat to then undisputed middleweight king Bernard Hopkins in 2005.
Eastman will be entering the lions den on 8 December when he tackles Duddy in front of what is likely to be an electric atmosphere at the Kings Hall.
Duddy simply can’t wait for his debut at the historic Balmoral venue and he is relishing the challenge that Eastman will present.
The Derryman said, 'It’s going to be amazing, it doesn’t get much better than fighting a guy with Eastman’s reputation at the Kings Hall.
'He’s had almost twice as many KO’s as I’ve had fights so that tells you everything about him.
'He has an amazing record and there’s no doubt he’s a very dangerous man.'
