DUANE BOBICK 'One Fight Away'

The fighter Duane Bobick and the U.S. Boxing team were most concenred about was
Russian, Yuri Nesterov.

Nesterov was older at 26, and more experienced in big tournaments.
At 6' 1" and 205 lbs, he had the size and stength to match the 210 lb. Bobick.
Also, he beat the hell out of Teofilo Stevenson earlier, in a dual-meet in Fort Worth Texas,,,,,,,,USA vs Cuba vs USSR

 

I think Duane Bobick did say in an interview after the fight that he did get caught
with a punch in the throat area (wind pipe).
I'm not sure if be blamed it on the loss, but he said it did affect his effort in defending himself.

Tough Business.
In his 25th fight.
Fought in Weston, Ohio (a small town in northwest Ohio)
A town of only 1655 people.
Fought on Saturday Afternoon, August 10, 1974
Faced Harold Carter (record of 17-30-3)
Won by KO 2
Was 25-0-0 (23 KO's)
Fought in a School Gym
Only 367 people paid
Only fight on card
Duane Bobick was paid $275 (50% of the gross, after expenses)
His manager ended the contract that day.
He did not fight again for 8 months.

 

ABC Wide World of Sports archives
USA vs USSR (2/71)
USA vs Ireland (2/71)
National Golden Gloves (3/71)
USA Military Championships (4/71)
National AAU Championships (4/71)
USA vs Cuba (5/71)
USA vs USSR (5/71)
USA vs Poland (5/71)
USA vs West Germany (5/71)
North American Championships (6/71)
Pan Am Games Eliminator (6/71)
USA vs Argentina (7/71)
USA vs Uruguay (7/71)
USA vs Columbia (7/71)
1971 Pan Am Games (8/71)
USA Amateur Show (8/71)
USA vs Rumania (9/71)
USA vs Sweden (9/71)
World Military Championships 10/71 (Holland)
USA vs Great Britain (2/72)
USA vs USSR (2/72) (Triple meet on 2/8, 2/11, 2/15)
National Golden Gloves (3/72)
USA vs Bulgaria (4/72)
USA vs Czechoslavakia (4/72)
USA vs USSR vs Cuba (4/72) (Dual-meet in Fort Worth, Texas)
USA vs Canada (5/72)
USA vs Mexico (5/72)
Pre-Olympic Trials (7/72)
U.S. Olympic Box-Offs (8/72)
1972 Olympics (9/72, Munich)

Yuri Nesterov,,6' 1" 205 lbs. 26 year old, had over 200 amateur fights. Big wins over Teofilo Stevenson in 1970 and 1971

 

Power Puncher,

Probably over-hyped. Just a very good amateur.
Never developed in his first 25-fights under the management of Bill Daniels..
Just kept thowing him in their with tomato-cans.
Kind of like a travelling carnival.
Not one quality win after going 25-0-0.
Maybe a Knock-out over a young Mike Weaver, that was it.
Only (3) national TV appearances up thru 1974.

 

kolkade4,,,,,,,,,Your Welcome.

Duane Bobick drew Yuri Nesterov in the First Round of Eliminations at the 1972
Olympics.
He beat him easily. (5-0)
Nesterov was considered the 'second best' fighter in the tournament, after Bobick.
I'm sure, as ABC was promoting, Duane was a shoe-in for the Gold Medal.
He took Stevenson lightly, and BOOM, there goes the career, while all of America is watching.

This how well-respected Yuri Nesterov was, A coupe of months earlier, in a USA vs USSR vs Cuba
dual meet in Fort Worth, Texas.
Nesterov didn't want to fight Stevenson in the first round of the 3-way tournament, in fear of hurting him,
and preventing him from entering the Olympics, scheduled 4-months later in September.
Yuri agreed to fight Stevenson, but would not throw any hard punches. Nesterov won easy anyway 5-0.