Duddy said: “I never knew how much money my fights generated, or how much money was coming in or going out. I was always kept in the dark. I was definitely mishandled, kind of like a horse led by a carrot from one fight to the next, always being told that my next fight would bring in more money. I trusted with my heart and kept fighting with my heart, but your heart can only take you so far in that business. After a while, you have to open your eyes and start thinking on your feet.”

Asked how much money he had earned in boxing, and how much money he thought he had been shortchanged, Duddy smiled and politely said, “That’s none of your business.”

But Duddy acknowledged that he was involved in an unusual business arrangement that created what he considered a conflict of interest. He was guided by two brothers. Eddie McLoughlin, who founded and controlled Irish Ropes, was Duddy’s promoter; Tony McLoughlin was Duddy’s manager.

When reached by phone to discuss Duddy’s dealings with Irish Ropes, Tony McLoughlin said, “I don’t want to talk about it,” and hung up. Several contact numbers for Eddie McLoughlin were disconnected, and he could not be reached for comment.

Duddy eventually turned to a new manager, Craig Hamilton, who contended that Duddy had been cheated out of “hundreds of thousands of dollars” by Irish Ropes.

Hamilton said, “This was life-changing money that certainly would have afforded John some different choices in life.”