Duane Bobick. How Good Was He?

Bobbick was one of those amatuer stars that looked better as an amatuer than a pro. I'm not sure if another trainer could help Bobbick much. He just didn't have good size, or speed. His right hand was good, but not very good or great.

 

Czar, I worked out with the Bobick brothers growing up when they would come down to Minneapolis before turing pro. Duane had a much harder punch in both hands, could throw all the punches and in combo. Rodney had a steel jaw and head and a good right uppercut. Rodney moved better but both had solid footwork. If Angelo had been in Rodneys corner against Holmes as planned he may have done a little better.

 

I have seen the amateur match. Holmes was very thin ( 183 ) and only had 19 amateur fights. I don’t think Holmes was serious about boxing back then. It was a surprise that he made it to the finals to meet Bobbick. The winner would represent the USA in the Oylmpics.


Bobick was a seasoned amateur that some believed would win gold like Frazier and Foreman before him. Holmes clinched a bit too much, and the match was waived off.

Ali was part of the commentary. I get the impression that Ali did not think Bobbick was that good, but as a businessman he knew Bobbick could be a high reward / low risk type of match for him in the future. Thus Ali hyped Bobbick too.

 

Ok, I already have. What did the Wells fights have to do with the clinch?

 

Almost non stop clinching Bill. DQ was more than fair after sooo many warnings. Bobick had it over him in that fight.

 

You didn't miss him again Bummy

Did Holmes really go out on a stretcher both times? I'm also not so convinced Bobick was going to stop Holmes.

 

According to Nick Wells who posted on this site they took Holmes out in a strectcher both times, watch the Holmes Bobick fight on utube, Holmes got hurt badly and held on like an octopus and the ref had to stop it

 

I believe i posted the link in this very thread. Unless i had more Jimmy's than i thought last night

 

Did he not also claim Larry ducked his father as champion?

 

The comparison between what I see, and what you know is going to vary. Rodney displayed his steel jaw in the fight, and Duane did throw combos against Holmes. But no matter who your trainer is I don't think Rodney had the skill set to rise above and defeat Holmes. And Duane was a good fighter that just lost in key areas of his career.

 

I agree, I never saw this whole fight before, and Bobick could at least move as an amateur. He was better with that lean build, as pro bulking up hurt him.

 

IMO guys like Bobbick are just meant to be amerature fighters.

 

I'm glad someone else sees it this way. I don't think adding weight helped Bobick any. He needed all the speed and mobility he could get, and his power was fine the way it was.

Scott LeDux once said that he made a mistake by not bulking up and lifting weights because it would have added to his style, while Bobick made a mistake of lifting weights and bulking up a bit, because it took away from some of the stuff that made him a top amateur.

Promoter Bob Arum once said that Bobbick was an odd fighter. He could fight, but seemed to freeze and have some nerves problems in his most important matches.

Bobbick was a fair fighter who made just shy of a million dollars in boxing. Bobbick was not a highly touted amatuer bust like Rademacher was. In the end he was good enough to earn some big fights.

 

didnt bobick reel off 38 straight wins in the pros before the norton fight.and didnt norton pop him in the adams apple.if he did then no wonder bobick went down.he obviosly did something right.he was never the same after taking that shot.i am not trying to support him by any means.