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| ==Amateur career== | ==Amateur career== | ||
| Six foot, three inches tall and 215 pounds in his prime, Bobick was part of a boxing family and grew up with the sport in the 1960s. A good puncher who developed well early by virtue of countless hours in the gym and ring, Bobick had an outstanding amateur career that included a win over Cuba's famous ] at the ]. Bobick added another future champion to his list when he beat ] to be named to the 1972 U.S. Olympic boxing team for the ]. But lurking on Bobick's amateur record was a devastating second round KO loss at the hands of future heavyweight contender Ron Lyle. Bobick was unconscious in the ring for close to 10 minutes after the knockout. <ref>http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles/13698-ron-lyle-the-only-fighter-to-hurt-foreman-in-maybe-the-finest-hour-for-both |
Six foot, three inches tall and 215 pounds in his prime, Bobick was part of a boxing family and grew up with the sport in the 1960s. A good puncher who developed well early by virtue of countless hours in the gym and ring, Bobick had an outstanding amateur career that included a win over Cuba's famous ] at the ]. Bobick added another future champion to his list when he beat ] to be named to the 1972 U.S. Olympic boxing team for the ]. But lurking on Bobick's amateur record was a devastating second round KO loss at the hands of future heavyweight contender Ron Lyle. Bobick was unconscious in the ring for close to 10 minutes after the knockout. <ref>http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles/13698-ron-lyle-the-only-fighter-to-hurt-foreman-in-maybe-the-finest-hour-for-both</ref> | ||
| Bobick was touted as a rising star at this early stage, and may have been overconfident as he met Stevenson again during the 1972 Olympic games. The fight was even after two rounds with Stevenson getting the edge in round one and Bobick rallying in round two. In the third round, Bobick fell victim to a nemesis that would bedevil him for the rest of his boxing career; the overhand right. Stunned, floored and eventually defenseless, Bobick was mercilessly pounded by the Cuban champion until the bout was stopped; this was his Bobick's last bout as an amateur. {{cn|date=October 2013}} | Bobick was touted as a rising star at this early stage, and may have been overconfident as he met Stevenson again during the 1972 Olympic games. The fight was even after two rounds with Stevenson getting the edge in round one and Bobick rallying in round two. In the third round, Bobick fell victim to a nemesis that would bedevil him for the rest of his boxing career; the overhand right. Stunned, floored and eventually defenseless, Bobick was mercilessly pounded by the Cuban champion until the bout was stopped; this was his Bobick's last bout as an amateur. {{cn|date=October 2013}} | ||
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| after = ]}} | after = ]}} | ||
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| ==References== | |||
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| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
Revision as of 09:40, 20 November 2013
| Medal record | ||
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| Men's Boxing | ||
Representing the  United States
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| Pan American Games | ||
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1971 Cali | Heavyweight |
Duane Bobick (born August 24, 1950, Little Falls, Minnesota) is a former boxer from the United States, who became world amateur heavyweight champion in 1971, and also won the gold medal at the 1971 Pan American Games. He fought for the United States at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany.
Personal
Bobick's younger brother Rodney Bobick was also a heavyweight boxer, though less successful, and died in a single car crash in 1977.
Amateur career
Six foot, three inches tall and 215 pounds in his prime, Bobick was part of a boxing family and grew up with the sport in the 1960s. A good puncher who developed well early by virtue of countless hours in the gym and ring, Bobick had an outstanding amateur career that included a win over Cuba's famous Teófilo Stevenson at the 1971 Pan American Games. Bobick added another future champion to his list when he beat Larry Holmes to be named to the 1972 U.S. Olympic boxing team for the Munich Olympics. But lurking on Bobick's amateur record was a devastating second round KO loss at the hands of future heavyweight contender Ron Lyle. Bobick was unconscious in the ring for close to 10 minutes after the knockout.
Bobick was touted as a rising star at this early stage, and may have been overconfident as he met Stevenson again during the 1972 Olympic games. The fight was even after two rounds with Stevenson getting the edge in round one and Bobick rallying in round two. In the third round, Bobick fell victim to a nemesis that would bedevil him for the rest of his boxing career; the overhand right. Stunned, floored and eventually defenseless, Bobick was mercilessly pounded by the Cuban champion until the bout was stopped; this was his Bobick's last bout as an amateur.
Amateur Highlights
- 1971 Pan-American Games Heavyweight champion
- 1971 National AAU Heavyweight Champion
- 1972 National Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champion
Pro career
Bobick trained hard to start his pro career, which did not begin until the following spring, 1973. Bobick trained with and was managed by heavyweight legend Joe Frazier. Bobick's first match was against Tommy Burns. He sent Burns to the canvas four times on his way to a first-round KO. Bobick had 14 other fights in 1973, winning them all by KO, including a win over former contender Mando Ramos. Bobick won his first 19 fights by knockout.
He had 10 more fights in 1974, winning them all again, eight by KO. Knockout wins that year included Ted Gullick and future champion Mike Weaver. He also decisioned veteran boxer Billy Daniels. Bobick was now 25-0 with 23 KOs. He was then rated by many to be the sport's new "White Hope," taking that label from then-declining Jerry Quarry. Frazier himself was approaching retirement and focusing on upcoming paydays with protégé Bobick.
Bobick gained top-10 ranking in 1975 with eight more fights and wins, all again by KO. He was now being dodged by some, but a win over Randy Neumann proved he could not be ignored. He had a tentative contract with Muhammed Ali in 1976, but the fight never materialized. Instead he met and defeated Larry Middleton, fellow Minnesotan Scott LeDoux, Bunny Johnson and Chuck Wepner among his five 1976 fights, all wins with two KOs. Bobick had now improved enough as a boxer to be a legitimate title threat.
The Norton fight
He took a 38-0 record with 32 KO's into the ring against powerful future champion Ken Norton in a prime time network television bout in May 1977. Both fighters appeared tight and cautious from the opening bell. Norton suddenly connected with an unexpected overhand right flush onto Bobick's chin. He staggered wildly unable to clinch and avoid Norton's furious assault. Norton trapped Bobick in a corner landing several roundhouse rights. One of the punches that connected was a right uppercut that caught Bobick in the throat. Staggered, blind from his tearing eyes as a result of the throat punch and walloped by another huge right hand, Bobick went to the canvas face first. He rose as the count reached ten. Duane swayed on unsteady legs and the bout was stopped. The fight lasted just 58 seconds.
Comeback
Despite the embarrassing defeat, Bobick was back in the ring two months later, winning a rematch with Scott LeDoux. He finished the year 1977 40-1 with 34 KO's. In 1978, he was upset in the third round by South African puncher Kallie Knoetze for his second KO loss, again falling victim to an overhand right. Cut over his right eye and floored, Bobick rose at the count of 8 but the fight was stopped. He fought eight more times against second-tier fighters in 1978, winning all by KO. He was looking to return to top-level contention in 1979 securing a nationally televised bout with future beltholder and Stevenson's 1976 Olympic KO victim John Tate. Bobick talked openly pre-bout of his new commitment to training and conditioning citing reduced body fat statistics as proof of his seriousness to return to the top of the heavyweight ranks. Hurt early in the first round by an overhand right as in the Norton fight, Bobick couldn't clinch to clear his head and continued to move forward absorbing terrible punnishment. A knockdown followed by a dozen overhand rights from Tate forced the referee to stop the bout a little over two minutes into the fight. A TKO loss (stopped due to deep cuts on both eyelids) to unheralded George Chaplin later that year led to his retirement at age 28.
His pro record was 48-4 with 42 KOs.
Professional boxing record
Life After Boxing
Bobick returned to Minnesota and took heavy industry work before a machine accident nearly killed him in 1997. Both his arms were caught and crushed between huge paper rolls being rotated in a paper mill. He narrowly avoided amputation after a complex surgery to re-attach muscles and tendons and repair skin and bone damage. After that he went into coaching and public speaking, using his faded celebrity to possibly encourage and help others. In November 2006, Bobick was elected as a city councilman.
Health
Bobick suffers from chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Originally diagnosed in 1997 after his arm injury, his progressive decline has been noteworthy in recent years. He was quoted in 2011 by the Morrison County Record saying “I’m not sure I would have gone into boxing back then if I would have known all the effects of head trauma that I know today, but I don’t regret the experience, intense training and discipline I learned from the sport.”
| Preceded byRon Lyle | United States Amateur Heavyweight Champion 1971 |
Succeeded byNick Wells |
References
External links
| Pan American Champions in Boxing – Men's Heavyweight | |
|---|---|
| +81 kg (1951–1979) · 91 kg (1983–) | |
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