According to Lou DiBella, promoter of Ronald Hearns and CEO of DiBella Entertainment, his fighter will not be lacing up gloves against John Duddy at the Theater in Madison Square Garden on January 17.

"There is no John Duddy/Ronald Hearns fight," DiBella told the Irish Voice emphatically on Monday evening, adding that there was never a Hearns/Duddy fight since the Derry native decided to find a new manager last month.

DiBella went on to say that world champions had been calling to get on HBO, and boxers out there are dying to get this kind of opportunity and exposure, but that there would be no show at the Theater on January 17. When asked his opinion on whether Duddy had possibly burned any bridges, DiBella said, "Whatever is going on vis-á-vis John Duddy and the McLoughlin brothers, and even if John's claims against Tony McLoughlin are 100% legitimate, he has caused two shows to be cancelled, he has hurt 20 other fighters (who would have fought on these cards) and he has upset HBO - in a fight that they had to be talked into - so yeah, I'd say he has burned a few bridges." When the Irish Voice contacted Duddy's legal representative, Gary Friedman, for comment, the attorney said that he would not comment on any pre-arranged fight. However, he did say he was confident that a "significant bout" would be arranged for Duddy in the first quarter of 2009, adding that court approval would be needed to do it, but he had every expectation of getting said approval. Irish Ropes President Eddie McLoughlin told the Irish Voice Monday that he had not been contacted one way or the other about Duddy's fight against Hearns, who is son of the legendary Tommy. If HBO had to be talked into taking Duddy on January 17, and they are, as DiBella says, upset by what has transpired in recent weeks, will they be prepared to gamble on the Irish fighter in the future? In the U.S., most significant fights that are televised take place on either HBO or Showtime. Also, the most obvious date in the first quarter of any year for an Irish fighter to have a significant bout is around St. Patrick's Day. Duddy has proved he is a big draw in New York, where he is a bona fide ticket seller. He is also hugely popular in Ireland, where he has appeared in nationally televised fights several times. Once the current legal process has reached its conclusion, fans on both sides of the Atlantic will be eager to see what his next fight will be, and where it will take place.