Duddy will arrive in Dublin this weekend ahead of his 10-rounder against the Italian journeyman at the National Stadium.

The veteran American is a new addition to Duddy's team following a parting of the ways with previous trainer Harry Keitt.

And Turner and Duddy are now well acquainted following an intensive training camp in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania.

The undefeated Duddy said: "Turner has me doing stuff I did as an amateur like throwing combinations, working on my hand speed, and pressuring correctly.

"I'm going to put on more pressure than I did my past few fights, more up tempo, coming at my opponent from all angles.

"Once I get him on the ropes, I don't want to let him off the hook.

"We've been working on a lot of small things from a different perspective. I think Don Turner is going to bring the best out of me."

Critics have earmarked Duddy's defence as a weak spot in his armoury and Turner acknowledges that is an area he has targeted since linking up with the Derryman.

"This guy gets hit and it's my job to teach him not to get hit.

"He's just as good as anybody in the middleweight division. He's responded very well to what I'm teaching him to do and he should be fighting for the world title soon.

"All he needs to do is throw combinations, it's the missing link. When he has an opponent hurt, that's when he has to throw five more punches, not let him off the hook."

After 20 straight wins in the US, Duddy is now highly rated by all four of the major world governing bodies and he hopes to secure a European title fight later this year.