John Duddy to face former World title challenger Howard Eastman

[donnydarkoIRL]

This is a hell of a good test for Duddy right now IMO. Will really bring to light where Duddy is heading in his career, even though Eastman is a little long in the tooth.

Agreed, Eastman is a good step up, and in my opinion a much better choice than diving headfirst into a title fight with Pavlik.
This not only will be a good indicator of how good John really is, but also a good learning fight which will educate him for future opponents.

I disagree this is a horrible style matchup for Duddy. Duddy has proved in recent outings that he's only a slight step up from his opponents an ageing Yory Boy Campas and the world's greatest dad Anthony Bonsante.

He's not a world class boxer and although Eastman is faded he has fought at the very highest level.

I think Duddy is going get upset here. He doesn't have the greatest boxing skills and will almost certainly be outboxed and he doesn't have the power to hurt Eastman either.

Eastman wide UD.

Honestly Bilbo i don't see any justification for your right wing mind frame in relation to Duddy, but if ur right i owe you an apology.
Eastman is a shadow of what he once was, in addition even at his best Eastmaen himself was not world class, his fight against Hopkins? Would you refer to that as having "fought at the highest level?"

Because i don't i refer to that as "lazily participating at the highest level."

You recall Jermaine Taylor's & the Ring's deeming of that fight as "a dance between two old men?"

Well Eastman looked old back then, hows he going to survive against all action Duddy now, particularily after his poor showing against Elcock?

I agree that much depends on how much Eastman has left but in his prime he'd finish Duddy inside six rounds imo.

He's certainly looked lacklustre and old as of late but he's still a wiley old sod and could frustrate Duddy.

The fact that an Duddy went life and death with a 100 fight welterweight makes me think he won't like Eastman's punches much.

Five years ago if this were the prediction contest I'd have put an Eastman KO as my joker pick, now it depends how much he has left.

I missed his fight with Elcock but he still showed some desire in his fight before that, although still frustrating at times.

I'm still tipping him to derail the Duddy train however.

Well like i said, if ur right i owe u an apology and a pat on the back, but for me Eastman gets dominated in this fight, by sheer workrate and determination.
The fight before Elcock was against Ashira was it not?

One thing that surprised me about Duddy in his last fight was his technique.
Turner was supposed to have revolutionised Duddy and i was expecting some new technical twist to the Duddy style...All i saw against Prince Aaron was a basic body attack against a Tall fighter.
Perhaps the Eastman fight will be more of a showing as Duddy fights a less intimidated, less mobile and shorter opponent.