Lyell bides time after beating Duddy
The middleweight contender may fight in July or August.
By Joe Scalzo
Vindicator sports staff
Middleweight contender Billy Lyell has already dealt one huge blow to John Duddy’s career.
Duddy doesn’t seem too eager for a second.
Lyell (19-7, 3 KOs), of Niles, has not fought since his surprising upset of John Duddy (26-1, 17 KOs) on April 24 in Newark, N.J.
Afterward, Lyell told Duddy’s handlers he’d be willing to give Duddy a rematch — even in Duddy’s native Ireland — but hasn’t heard anything.
“I’ll fight him anywhere, but I don’t think he’s too keen on fighting me again,” Lyell said. “Maybe he wants to get a win or two, then take a rematch.
“The thing is, if somebody beats me, I want to fight him again. As a fighter, I say, ‘Hey, I want that guy.’ That’s a fighter’s mentality. Especially if that guy gave me my first loss.”
Lyell had an opportunity to fight on the undercard of Saturday’s IBF middleweight championship bout between Arthur Abraham and Mahir Oral in Berlin, Germany. But after talking with his trainer, Jack Loew, he decided to turn it down.
“It was a nice payday, but it was too soon between fights,” he said. “I didn’t want to get greedy.
“I’ve just got to be patient.”
Lyell, who trains at the Southside Boxing Club, is ranked 12th by the IBF, which is a big step since fighters must be ranked in the top 15 by the sanctioning body to get a championship bout.
If nothing materializes in the next few weeks, Lyell said he might take a small bout in West Virginia at the end of July or fight at McMenamy’s in Niles in August.
He’s been back in the gym for three weeks and has been working out almost every day.
“I’m in shape,” he said. “If I get a call, I’m ready to go.”
He doesn’t expect that call to come from Duddy’s camp.
Duddy had been in line to fight Kelly Pavlik on at least two occasions in the past few years, but his loss to Lyell likely cost him that chance.
“Honestly, I think he’s looking to cash out,” Lyell said of Duddy. “I think he’ll try to get another win or two, then get a couple big fights and cash out.”
scalzo@vindy.com