Bobick was agitating for a fight with Muhammad at this time. As far as I'm concerned it would have been an easy victory for Ali,before seven rounds were over. Bobick talked a good fight,but as the Norton bout proved,he could n't compete in top class company. Thoughts ?
The book on Bobick was to blow him out early, but this was not part of Ali's usual bag of tricks, and Duane's susceptibility to slow starting had yet to be well established before 1977 and Norton. Therefore, Bobick would have gotten out of the opening rounds and had a chance to warm up. It would have lasted long enough to be an enjoyable and entertaining matchup. However, everybody knew that he was also the classic sucker for a right because of Stevenson, and wouldn't have had an answer for Muhammad's right lead. Bobick's body attack opened him up even more to this punch. Had Duane been in the ring instead when Ali filleted southpaw Dunn with his right, then he would have become the final stopped opponent of the GOAT's career. (I consider Ali-Dunn to be an underrated performance by the Champ. In his last opportunity to do so, he proved that he learned how to efficiently dispatch a southpaw by using his right alone. Granted, Dunn did not belong in the same ring with him, but it was also the challenger's misfortune to face him after Young, and Muhammad was in shape this time. Mildenberger would not have lasted 12 rounds with the smarter and more experienced Ali of the Dunn fight.) A late stoppage, either on cuts or because Bobick simply can't defend against Ali's darting, slashing right, would be the likely outcome here. The fact that Duane did get more confident and potent with each succeeding round could make it more interesting though. I think Muhammad respected Bobick sufficiently (at least prior to Norton) that he would have gotten in good shape for this one.
75 Bobick wasn't the version of the guy that was talked about for Ali. It was the late 76/77 version that had possibilities. Futch had built up the guys record and he didn't look all that good against Wepner and certainly not against Houpe. It was a huge jump up in class when he did meet Norton.
Yes,but pro and amateur boxing are polls apart. One example is Tyson-Tillman. Tillman beat Tyson in the 1984 Olympic trials,but was iced in one round by him in 1990. I also believe that Marvis Frazier beat Tim Witherspoon in the amateurs. Could n't imagine that happening in the professional ranks.
I wouldn't have imagined him beating Bonecrusher either, yet Marvis came back from a fifth round knockdown and broken jaw to pull it out. He also avenged his record fast amateur knockout loss to James Broad (in reasonable shape for once) with a ten round decision win (hurting Broad and sending him foundering to the ropes early). Marvis was starched by a prime Holmes and Tyson, but he also showed he could compete with big heavyweights, and he was better in that division than Leon Spinks was. Getting back to Bobick, it would be interesting to see Duane's defeat of Stevenson in the 1971 Pan Am Games, as that outcome made Bobick extremely overconfident for their Olympic rematch.
I imagine Bobick would be more fondly remembered had he fought Ali instead of Norton. Ali probably wouldn't have stopped Bobick in the humiliating fashion that Norton did. He may have put on a respectable showing before being stopped.
I remember watching Bobick in the olympics vs Larry Holmes, he looked pretty good, but I just don't think he would compete against Ali very well. Here's Bobick vs Norton: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RICD8ojVQbE[/ame]
I'd heard of course they were replacing Quarry, with Bobick and that "white hope " nonsense- Bobick had two things going for him, had the bout been made 1) doubled his career money - which was substancial, and 2) Ali was not a big puncher at all (at this time) And Bobick may have actually been able to look good in spots, NOW WEPNER, having just witnessed Mysteries at the monument -CHUCK WEPNER, they said Wepner knocked Ali down with a powerful punch, and just think one more powerful punch and Wepner may have won the World Championship!!!! This is even more REEL LIFE than Rocky!!!!! Back to REAL LIFE , ALI WAS NEVER KNOCKED DOWN BY ANY "POWERFUL PUNCH" Wepner did not have a powerful punch fantasy land!!, Really He stepped on his FOOT WITH THOSE SKIS FOR FEET AND PUSH PUNCHED ALI . Not unlike Slapsie maxie, Man had I not witnessed it myself, Could be Rocky 50 like this YEARS SUPERBOWL
