17.03.07 – by David Pambianchi: Fans exploded on March 16, 2007 at the Madison Square Garden Theatre, as John Duddy met Anthony Bosante for a schedule 12 round bout and the IBA World & WBC Continental Americas Middleweight Championship. With tonight’s popular Irish Fight Card, every lad and lass in New York seemed packed into the house, chanting, shouting, cheering, and likely saying goodbye to their voices for the remainder of the weekend.
For the first three rounds, Duddy clearly scored with speed, and at will, and often through Bosante’s gloves. But an accidental head butt in the second marred the full picture. Bosante bled. He looked like faltering and might go down in the fourth, but clearly the blood that seeped into his eyes could have been a factor. Nevertheless, he came back in the fifth, sixth and seventh, catching Duddy solid with some well placed rights, lefts and uppercuts, and surviving with pure heart, took punishing hits from a determined Duddy..
During the eight and ninth round spectators continued to view quality boxing, but with too many hits and too much blood now pouring into Bosante’s eyes, the referee called time and signaled for the fight to go to the card. Despite some grueling exchanges, cut-man “Big” George Mitchell commented, “…last time it was 22 stitches after Campas. No stitches this time, Duddy gave me the night off.”
Duddy ushered in St. Patrick’s Day with a win by unanimous Technical Decision, and the title.
POST FIGHT QUOTES
John Duddy: “Anthony came to fight; unfortunately we clashed heads in the second. He tried to keep moving. I was a little rusty. He’s gutsy and it (cut) was unfortunate. I think I won every round. I promise to put on a better performance the next time around. He caught me with one or two shots but never hurt me. He’s experienced but I thought I was well in control of the fight.”
Anthony Bonsante: “It wasn’t the cut. It was the blood in my eyes. I was trying to take him into the 10th. I sucked it up for a few rounds. Duddy’s a warrior. I’d like to do it again.”
Giovanni Lorenzo: “I felt good but that’s not what I wanted. On a scale of 1 to 10, I was a 7. I leave (future fights) up to my manager, but we’ve talked about (John) Duddy. I wanted to show respect (large green washable shamrock on his back) to Irish Ropes Promotions for putting me on this card and to all of the Irish. Tonight I was half Dominican and half Irish.”
Andy Lee: “I knew he was trying to pick my jab. He has a lot of experience and skills. For two rounds he did pick my jabs, trying to set me up, but I threw a short jab and cracked him. My composure was a lot better tonight. I used my skills and waited for the right shot.”