Undefeated WBO #2 middleweight contender John Duddy (26-0, 17 KO’s) will battle Billy Lyell (18-7, 3) on Friday night April 24 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ as he hopes to stay in line for a world title shot against Kelly Pavlik possibly later this year. Duddy reveals his current state of mind heading into the Lyell bout:

BoxingInsider: How do you feel heading into your next performance?

John Duddy: I’m feeling great. Tell you, sort of waiting to go in there, a few days ago got to New York just Monday from Miami and I’m just looking forward to the show on Friday night.

BoxingInsider: What’s the key to beating Lyell from Youngstown, Ohio?

John Duddy: Like everything else, I gotta get my jab going early and I think I have to try and make sure I stay out of the mindset that I used to be in – brawling. Because Billy Lyell doesn’t mind brawling and he comes 110% physically fit. They make every guy that they fight, they make it hard work for them. I reckon once I get out there, establish the jab and take it from there.

BoxingInsider: Why do you think you sometimes tend not to use the jab as much as people would like?

John Duddy: I’m not sure. Just probably lack of maturity or I suppose in the earlier part of my career, and maybe not having as much trust in my jab as maybe what I should have. And that’s what Patrick Burns has been working to instill in me. I have to have faith in my jab, it’s a good punch, it’s the best punch, I can set up everything and it can also help defensively as well too. So that’s, with Patrick, if I can sort of correct my weaknesses and not fall into the old trap, the stand and trade attitude. And if we use better boxing smarts hopefully it will be a successful night.

BoxingInsider: Is it also maybe by your nature, you prefer diggin’ down and having a brawl like that as opposed to jabbing?

John Duddy: Well, yeah. My last outing (Matt Vanda) I thoroughly enjoyed my performance with using the jab, even in the 10th round I wanted to slug it out. So once Matt landed six punches on me, I sort of just stuck to the jab, it makes for easier work. That’s certainly not gone but there’s always a time and point in a fight when you should do it and when you shouldn’t do it. Just a matter of figuring that out. And the best way to do that is establishing your jab early.

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