16.07.07 – By Jeff Bastasini: Middleweight prospect John Duddy (21-0, 17 KOs) put on an exciting performance on Saturday night, stopping Italian Alessio Furlan (19-9-5, 8 KOs) in the 10th round of a scheduled 10-round bout at the National Stadium, in Dublin, Ireland. Duddy, 28, making his first appearance fighting in Ireland, knocked Furlan down in the first round with two powerful left hooks.
However, Duddy was unable to finish then job. The fight then turned into jab and hook clinic by Duddy, as he controlled the action for the next nine rounds. In the 10th round, Duddy knocked Furlan down twice, causing the referee to put a stop to the bout.
Duddy looked powerful in the first three rounds of the fight, punishing Furlan constantly with hooks. During this time, Furlan was having problems getting off any punches of his own. However, after the third round Furlan – with some effective in between rounds coaching from his trainer – became much more effective, landing his right hand and tagging Duddy with jabs. From rounds three to eight, both fighters stood directly in front of each other, trading shots. In the the ninth round, Duddy appeared to catch his second wind as he began to punch with much more authority once again, landing big hooks to the body and head of Furlan.
In the 10th round, Duddy continued standing in front of Furlan blasting away with hooks, until finally Duddy landed a powerful right hand, hurting Furlan badly and causing him to back up immediately. Duddy followed after him and tagged him with a double left hook, hitting him in the body and head, causing Furlan to drop to the canvas. He made it up, and at once Duddy was on him again, hitting him again with a double left hook, and then a powerful right uppercut, sending Furlan down to the canvas on one knee. The referee Emile Tiedt had seen enough and immediately waived off the fight, much to Furlan’s disappointment.