Billy Lyell looks forward to fighting John Duddy

By Greg Gulas

The Niles boxer will take on the unbeaten Duddy on April 24 in Newark, N.J.

BOARDMAN — It seems like forever since John Duddy was on the losing end of one of his boxing matches.

Local fighter Billy Lyell, the NABC Inter-Continental junior middleweight champion, hopes to change all that when the two meet on April 24 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Speaking to the Curbstone Coaches during Monday’s weekly luncheon meeting at the Blue Wolf Banquet Center, Lyell (18-7, 3 KOs) said he has learned more from his losses than from any of his wins and expects his upcoming bout with the undefeated Duddy (26-0, 17 KO’s) to be an action- packed thriller.

“I have had some great wins in my boxing career, especially since turning professional,” said Lyell. “In looking back, however, it was after a loss that I learned the most and felt better prepared for my next fight.”

A boxer since age 12 when he trained under the watchful eye of Tony Maioriana at his Girard gym, Lyell learned a very important lesson from the start; a lesson that he has carried with him throughout his professional career.

“I learned early on that you can go far if you work hard so if you can remember that valuable lesson, then you have a chance in this game,” Lyell said.

Lyell turned professional in 2003 and won his initial pro bout over Christian Nash at then-Cafaro Field in Niles.

His debut was one of several undercard bouts of Kelly Pavlik’s win over Rico Cason, which was televised live on ESPN.

“What’s an 18 year-old to say when they ask you if you would like to fight on a card featuring Kelly Pavlik?” said Lyell. “The decision was easy, but there are still times that I wonder if I turned pro just a little too early.

“I was probably more ready physically than I was mentally and while I don’t look back very often, there are times that even I have wondered about that,” Lyell said.

Lyell’s move to Jack Loew’s Southside Boxing Club at age 16 was a major step in his career.

“Kelly was already there and there were plenty of others from every walk of life,” said Lyell. “It was a whole different world for me, going from Niles to the Erie Street gym. It was an experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything,” Lyell said.

After winning his first four professional fights, Lyell learned from his first loss — a four-round unanimous decision to Jose Leo Moreno in Rosemont, Ill. — to always be prepared.

“You think the world is there to serve you and I was just trying to fit in,” he said. “I realized right then and there that and you had better be in top shape and ready to go every time.”

Lyell had never been knocked down or taken a mandatory eight count until his WBC Caribbean Boxing Federation light middleweight title fight with Charles Whittaker in the Cayman Islands in December 2006.

“He was a monster in the ring with a 78-inch reach. He hit me with an uppercut, I saw lights and noises and then I told Jack [Loew] that I’m all right. It was then that he told me the fight was over so I learned after that fight that you cannot take anything for granted,” Lyell said.

Lyell just graduated from YSU with a bachelor’s degree in General Studies. His education is preparing him for life after the ring while teaching him to take things in stride.

“You can always improve, so the more you learn about yourself the more successful you will become,” he said.

New YSU assistant football coach Mike Zordich will be the guest speaker on April 20.