John Duddy, the popular New York-based middleweight from Ireland who was the personification of a boxing blood-and-guts warrior, abruptly announced his retirement on Tuesday. What makes the move so surprising is that Duddy had recently returned to training after agreeing to face Andy Lee on March 12 on an HBO undercard at the Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Uncasville, Conn., in an all-Irish fight on St. Patrick's Day weekend. Duddy, 31, who had not yet signed a contract for the fight, would have earned a $100,000 purse plus a percentage of tickets he sold. Read more: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=6035063
