The Rising Star Of The North

In A Week Which Ends With John Duddy's Latest Bout, Daniel McCarthy Looks At The Men In Whose Footsteps He Treads

The young son of Derry, John Duddy, has cut an impressive swathe through the professional middleweight boxing ranks. He has taken the United States by storm with his domineering, in-your-face boxing style. Since his 2003 pro-debut, he has racked up seventeen victories. However his opponent this Friday night former world champ Mexico's Yori Boy Campas (36) boasts an incredible record of 88 wins from 96 pro fights. Irish Ropes, Duddy's boxing stable, said that this fight will take Duddy, with fifteen knock outs to his name already, up a level. His humble, hard working manner has endeared Duddy to a large following so far in his young career and should serve him well this Friday night and beyond.

Duddy may well yet be following in the footsteps of Irish born world boxing champions such as the Gardiner brothers, Jimmy and George from Lisdoonvarna and Lowell, Massachusetts. They were the first ever brothers to hold professional boxing world titles, in the early 1900s. A third brother Billy also boxed professional. Their father, Pat, was no mean bare knuckle fighter himself. Fr. Seamus Gardiner of Tipperary, now PRO of the Gaelic Athletic Association's referees association used to advise this column and his associates he was the grand-nephew of world boxing champions if we ever wanted to go one on one with him instead of accepting detainee status while he was president of St Flannan's College. The outcome would most certainly suggest he was their kinsman. Fr Seamus was the son of the former President of the GAA, Seamus Gardiner

Amongst other US based Irish born world champs to attain great popularity were Mike McTigue, the first Irishman to ever win a world boxing title on Irish soil - he defeated battling Siki for the World Light Heavyweight title before a highly charged Dublin crowd near the end of the Irish civil war. Belfast's Jimmy McLarnin, came from a privileged background, and was a renowned champ. He lived a long, healthy and wealthy life in US after a successful pro career. Louth's Tom McCormick became a world welterweight champion when he defeated the Dane Waldemar Holberg in Australia. He was a sergeant in the British army in WW1 and was killed in action in Italy near the war's end. Cork's unbeaten Jack McAuliffe, was known as the famed Napoleon of the ring; like Rocky Marciano he retired undefeated. Of course there is the nineteenth century prototype Irish boy made good, Old Smoke, Congressman John Morrissey. This Tipp native, a noted political enforcer who squeezed out the infamous Boss Tweed and the notorious Bill Poole, allegedly had political foes murdered, and claimed the US Heavyweight crown of 1858. He was later elected to two terms in Congress. His nickname derives from the time of knocking over a coal stove in a bar room brawl, burning his clothes and filling the room with the stench of burning flesh before proceeding to take out his adversary. Duddy may be keeping good company yet.

Hopefully a good show will be put on and Duddy will avoid the fate of Gem Roche, a Wexford blacksmith, and a member of the great Wexford four-in-a row all-Ireland football champions. He fought Canadian champ Tommy Burns for the only world heavyweight fight ever held in Ireland, in 1908. It remained the shortest lived bout in heavyweight history for 74 years, as it took 88 seconds for Burns to win. One canny punter dashed out from the audience as the ref finished the count and announced to the gathered throng outside 'It's terrible in there, they are killing each other, I can't stand any more. Who wants to buy my ticket?' After heated exchanges, the delighted new ticket holder was soon swept back out by the departing crowd.

While on the theme of pugilism, if you have a grá for the story of the celtic fists, well then you still have a chance to get down to the Irish Arts Centre in New York which is hosting an exhibition on Fighting Irishmen: A Celebration of the Celtic Warrior. It is a major visual arts exhibition to open its 2006-2007 programming season and is a rare collection of boxing imagery and artefacts. The exhibit is curated by James J. Houlihan; Liam Neeson is honorary chair. The exhibit runs through November 30, 2006 at the Irish Arts Center, 553 West 51st Street (Between 10th and 11th Avenues).