Ken Norton vs Duane Bobick

Interestingly, Norton starts this fight fighting on the back foot and he's in with a big puncher in Bobick.

 

This was not only a classic example of a hot prospect being "exposed," but it was also one of the biggest trainer fails of all time.

Eddie Futch was Bobick's trainer, and as Norton's former trainer he was convinced he had "inside info" on Norton that would enable Bobick to beat him. In fact, he predicted that Bobick would KO Norton in the 1st. Hence, he convinced Bobick's people to rush him into this fight after having fed him an almost exclusive tomato can diet.

This fight was also billed as something of a "grudge match" between Norton and Futch, and that added another element to the build up. Maybe that's what lit a fire under Norton's behind? :think

 

Yes, and people still quote Futch as an authority on Norton's tendency to freeze against punchers, and his inability to beat them. There may well be some truth in that, but Futch was working on exactly that presumption when he put Bobick in with him.

Interestingly, Joe Frazier told the press Bobick would get beaten up by Norton.

Bobick was the Gerry Cooney of the time. Bobick was actually being ducked by Muhammad Ali prior to this fight !

 

just started here. Stevenson was something else.