John Duddy was more at home in the Garden than Dermot Gavin or Alan Titchmarsh.

The Derry Destroyer made a home out of famous New York venue Madison Square Garden, fighting there nine times between 2005 and 2010, electrifying the local fight fraternity with his all-action style.

Duddy, retired since he suffered defeat in a World title eliminator with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in December of 2010, returns to his fight home on Saturday night to watch fellow Derry man and former amateur team mate Eamonn O’Kane in the biggest fight of his career.

Duddy, who thrilled with two bloody wars against ‘Yuri Boy’ Campos and Walid Smichet at the venue – and was close to securing a shot at Kelly Pavlik – claims you can’t get any bigger than an eliminator on the undercard of a Gennady Golovkin card in the Garden – and believes his countyman is in for a treat tomorrow when he fights Tureano Johnson.

“It’s a special place for every boxer – it’s Madison Square Garden,” explained Duddy when speaking to the Derry Journal. “That’s why boxing at the Garden is such a special thing. Win, lose or draw the whole world will hear about it!”

“It doesn’t get any bigger than this for Eamonn,” he added. “He’s on the undercard of Gennady Golovkin. He’s got a great opportunity to put in a good performance.”

“Everybody says things happen for a reason and it couldn’t happen to a better man. Good luck to him and I’ll be there supporting him with all the other crazy Irish fans.”