Duddy delighted to pass baton to Katie, Queen of New York

John Duddy is synonymous with New York and Madison Square Garden, but you get the sense that he couldn't be happier to pass the baton of the city's favourite Irish fighter on to Katie Taylor, the next superstar of Manhattan's famous boxing arena.

After attending Thursday's pre-fight press conference ahead of tonight's superfight between the Pride of Bray and Amanda Serrano I hop on the subway from Penn Station downtown to Chambers Street, and when I arrive Duddy is filling his coffee flask at the end of an active day’s grind at the renowned Trinity Boxing Club in the TriBeca area of Manhattan.

The Derry man, and former world middleweight contender, has been training clients in the traditional old gym, where a well-worn boxing ring takes pride of place near the rear of the character-filled old joint.

The gym’s owner is a stalwart of New York boxing, Martin Snow; another old timer clad out in his training attire of black Trinity Boxing sleeveless t-shirt, with his trademark bandana keeping his rock 'n’ roll haircut tucked back off his face.

A few minutes in Martin’s company and there was a temptation to switch subjects as there was an immediate connection, the gym owner being an old friend of my former boxer cousin, big Joe Egan.

"I’m in Joe’s book," Martin tells me with pride, speaking about Joe’s autobiography, the Toughest White Man on the Planet. "Near the front in the chapter on New York."

A third man saunters past, letting Duddy know that he had found the boss man’s secret stash of chocolates.

Martin asks me did I recognise this former world champion.

The Trinity Boxing Club does not appear a place for spoofers, so I look quizzically as he approached closer.

"I knocked Andy Lee down twice," he said.

A photo of the champ on the