Duddy on Bonsante fight: “If I can make it quick I will certainly take advantage”

Boxingtalk.com recently checked in with undefeated all action Irish Sensation John Duddy 18-0(15) to get the latest going on “I am feeling great I am back to feeling 100%. I have been back training at the gym.” stated the heavy handed IBA middleweight champion, who will likely face Contender Season one star, Anthony “The Bullet” Bonsante 29-8-3(17). The bout, which looks like it might land on indemand PPV will take place at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden Friday March 16th, 2007 the day before St Patrick’s Day. Read on, as Duddy talks to us about his most recent bout against former world champion York Boy Campos 88-9(72), training camp, his goals for 2007 and much more.

RC: John how is everything coming along?
JD: I am feeling great I am back to feeling 100%. I have been back training at the gym.

RC: How long have you been back in training?
JD: I started back in the new year, actually I was doing a little bit of training over Christmas but I took a few weeks off just to enjoy the holidays

RC: From what I understand your promoter Eddie McLoughlin and trainer Harry Keitt recently went to scout out the Bonsante vs. Vanda fight in Minnesota, is that correct?
JD: yes they were there.

RC: before that fight took place, it was mentioned that you would fight the winner. Bonsante won, is the fight between the two of you sign sealed and delivered fight?
JD: Yeah I think so, I haven’t signed the contract yet, but everybody seems to agree that it is your man Bonsante that’s next. There isn’t any contract yet, but that is who it is supposedly going to be, and you know me Ray, I don’t care who it is I just fight.

RC: Looking back on your toughest fight to date which was your most recent against Yory Boy Campos, what do you feel you learned from it?
JD: Well to be honest with you, I don’t think I will be able to enjoy my victory until I win my next fight. I want to show myself first what I learned from that experience. I will be not be satisfied until I have another win and used what I learned from my last fight in my upcoming fight

RC: Give us your take on Anthony Bonsante?
JD: I haven’t seen much of him to be honest with you. I am sure I will get some tapes on him if the fight is going to happen. It looks like he is a pretty good boxer; It looks like he gave Matt Vanda a boxing lesson, judging from the scoring of the fight. So I am looking forward to the test. He has had a bit of publicity so at least everyone will know we are fighting.

RC: Has there been any talks on having you on live network television anytime soon?
JD: Well they rekon that this fight is, it is going to be on Pay Per view. March 16th it is going to be on in demand I think for 20 or 25 bucks. It is a little step forward as far as the career process goes. But at the end of the day it is good only if I get the results in the ring.  I am looking forward to getting back in to the ring. I have had a nice break and I am just hungry and eager to get back at it and start doing it again.

RC: Who will you be working with in preparation for this fight?
JD: Of course Harry (Keitt) as usually, and James Moore for right now, the work is going to get more intense in another week or two because we will be flying to Florida for six weeks of training camp.

RC: Is the trip down to Florida pretty much a must with the fact that you will be fighting in your hometown and need as few distractions as possible leading up to the fight?
JD: For my last fight I went to camp in Pennsylvania in the Poconoe Mountains, it was really nice. I never realized how many distractions I had until I didn’t have any distractions. Going to camp you can focus on every aspect on what you are trying to improve on. You have nobody bothering you, you don’t have to travel much, and you are eating all the right foods. It is a far better atmosphere than staying home and going to the gym. It is a great way to sort of find yourself and focus on the job at hand; it makes you able to take things a lot more serious. It seems that as fighters are going up the ranks, going away to camp seems to be the best preparation for anyone in the sport of boxing.

RC: How do you feel about headlining your first pay per view event?
JD: Ooh happy days, you know at the end of the day it won’t mean nothing to me unless I won. But it is showing that I have the right team around me and every step that they are taking seems to be the right one. And as you know yourself, the garden is going to be packed out. So I am really looking forward to it and hopefully we can explode it to the max.

RC: I know you are never one to look ahead of an opponent, but at the end of the year what would John Duddy like to personally accomplish in boxing?
JD: To be better than last year. That is all I want to be honest with you Ray. As long as I keep winning that is all that matters to me at the end of the day.

RC: Is there anything else you would like to add in closing before I let you go?
JD: I just want to thank all of my fans in New York and fans all over. Thanks for cheering on, if they can get to the Garden on March 16th they should definitely come, if not check it out on Pay Per view because it is going to be an exciting night.

RC: John can we expect to see this fight go the distance?
JD: Not if I can have anything to do with it. But you know me, I will be prepared for another hard twelve rounds again. If I can make it quick I will certainly take advantage of that. I have to go in prepared for an all night fight, this time I around I am a much smarter, I think I am a better educated fighter after that fight (Campos) and hopefully I will get a chance to prove it on the 16th of March.

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