Duane Bobick

[HomicideHenry]

While I already know alot about "Billy Bob" and how he flopped in the Garden against Norton, its his amateur background and early professional career, his rapid incline through the ranks is what I want to hear more about. Anybody have any memories or stories or facts they want to share about Bobick?

[BoxBuzz]

Hey Hank, if you use the search feature I think you can find some stuff on him here. As I recall there is a rather thorough thread on the subject.

[raylawpc]

Bobick fought in Oklahoma City in 1974 against Jimmy Cross. I worked Jimmy's corner, and Bobick gave him a pretty good lacing, knocking him down several times before stopping him in the third. Cross didn't scale much more than 190 pounds and was just under 6 feet. Jimmy wasn't a Rocky Marciano 190 pounds; Jimmy was fat - he was a natural light-heavyweight. So Bobick was much bigger. I note that boxrec gives Bobick's height at 6'3," but I think he was taller. I'm 6'4" in my socks, and we were eyeball to eyeball in height. Duane was wearing boxing shoes and I was in street shoes, so he was probably a little taller than me.

I remember three things specifically about him:

1. He had very broad shoulders. I remember thinking at the time that he had the broadest shoulders I'd ever seen on a heavyweight. I think the 82" reach listed in boxrec is short. The thing I remember the most is those shoulders.

2. He was very stiff in the ring. There didn't seem to be much fluidity in his movement or his punches. He just didn't seem relaxed in the ring. It wasn't nerves because it was clear after about 2 minutes that he would have no trouble with Jimmy.

3. I got to talk to Bobick in the dressing room after the right. He seemed like a pretty good fellow, a bit blue collar (I mean that in a very good way!), and the kind of guy it would probably be fun to hit the bars with and look for chicks. (I was in my 20s and very single at the time!)

Interestingly, two months later Cross fought Rodney Bobick and lost on a tenth round stoppage. I didn't see the fight, but Jimmy told me later that Rodney was a more natural fighter. Duane, on the other hand, was just "damn big and strong." Jimmy said Rod had better skills but Duane just overwhelmed with his size and strength.

[granberry]

I saw Bobick fight a small heavyweight, Pat Duncan (185 lb?).

Bobick hads no reflexes of the type needed for a professional fighter.

I could tell from that one glance that he would never make it.

Duncan quit in his corner after about five rounds. He was never hit cleanly from what I saw.

Apparently they chose opponents like that for Bobick as they were bringing him up.

The important thing to do when you are bringing someone along like that is never allow him to fight an opponent who can punch.
Cooney was brought along the same way.

I heard Bobick had a terrible factory accident after his career was over---injury to both arms.

I hope he is doing well at this point.

[Robinson]

Thanks for this info guys.

Thats pretty sad to hear about his injuries.

In the few fights I have seen of Bobick I have never
gotten excited at what I was watching.

It was clear though that he was to be the next
'white hope' until he met Norton.

[bennie]

Great amateur, who licked Teofilo Stevenson and Larry Holmes (although Stevenson paid him back in style and Holmes was young). Bobick's flaws were less obvious over three rounds.

[HomicideHenry]

For a man with little ability, from what I am hearing from you guys, he had to have been one hell of a puncher, as the way I always heard it, he was the only man to knock Chuck Wepner out cold (?)

From what stories I heard, he was rude, crude and brash, but funny as hell. I think Bobick and Cobb would have been a good fight, though by the time Cobb was just getting in, Bobick was on the downside and would lose to John Tate and George Chaplin.

[granberry]

. . .the way I always heard it, he was the only man to knock Chuck Wepner out cold (?)

Where do you get this crap?

Wepner was stopped on cuts.

[delisa]

I was ringside for Bobick's 2-round kayo of Roy Cookie Wallace.

Bobick looked ok, not as stiff in other performances I caught on TV -- he stopped Wallace easily.

I have photos from that night somewhere.

[joe kurtz]

Though definitely somewhat lacking in the fluidity & chin department, Duane wa a much better fighter than the one so often recalled by his four losses these days. I mean, he did have a fairly good body of work on his resume when one looks it over when momentarily dismissing those glaring "KO bys" on his record. Of course, the fact that two of them ( or three if one takes into account the amateur KO by 2 to Stevenson in their rematch in '72 ) were quickie losses on national network television with millions watching certainly didn't help his cause.

The KO by 1 to Norton was actually pretty understandable what with the nature of the bout being on prime time, the pressure behind it with the promised match with Ali etc., we've seen many fall quickly with less at stake for sure. But, that Tate debackle was a bit of a shock, especially when considering that Tate wasn't all that big of a banger. He was just an OK puncher in my book & poor Bobick made him look like the future Lenox Lewis with his apparent mix of size & power. Which, down the line we all saw was a bit of an illusion.

But, as we well know ( especially when it comes to fights involving John Tate ) with heavies, one good shot can do the trick.

[mizzike]

I was ringside for Bobick's 2-round kayo of Roy Cookie Wallace.

Bobick looked ok, not as stiff in other performances I caught on TV -- he stopped Wallace easily.

I have photos from that night somewhere.

my name is mike wallace son of cookie wallace if you could find the photos i would love to see them. i think that would be great to show my dad.

[raylawpc]

I was ringside for Bobick's 2-round kayo of Roy Cookie Wallace.

Bobick looked ok, not as stiff in other performances I caught on TV -- he stopped Wallace easily.

I have photos from that night somewhere.

my name is mike wallace son of cookie wallace if you could find the photos i would love to see them. i think that would be great to show my dad.

I remember your Dad. He was a double-tough heavyweight, and he always gave a good fight. How is he doing?

Didn't he have a brother who fought, too? (Maybe I have him confused with someone else.)

Please tell him the fans from Texas and Oklahoma remember him with great fondness and respect.

[raylawpc]

Mike, here is a newspaper photo of your Dad's fight with Bobick. Not much to see though.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fk ... 7%2C564782

Again, please send our best to your Dad.