Duane Bobick/televised-filmed fights 1968-1979

[BoxBuzz]

Check mimmys list...he may have some.

[Caractacus]

well his brother Rodney Bobick fought on the Ali vrs Frazier III preliminary in 1975 anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDvWOzPN8Wc

[Tony1244]

I've always been fairly fascinated by Bobick & his career. From his amateur days, right up until the bitter end.
He really did have some remarkable & interesting accomplishments such as his 60 bout winning streak following his loss to Ron Lyle. All within the span of a couple of years.
Then, there was the way in which his 38-0 pro record was built up via the old fashioned "barnstorming tour" method rather than having him fight the vast majority of his bouts at home like most popular prospects did & continue to do to this day. Even after his losses to Norton & Knoetze he continued this approach.
It's fairly tragic that so few of his fights have survived on video. Very odd considering how well known & popular he was as he was coming up, but then again, much of that can be directly attributed to the way he was handled & brought up through the ranks. Fighting so frequently in untelevised contests in smaller venues in "tank towns" across the country.

I was fascinated by him too. I became aware of who he was after reading a clip in Ring: Duane Bobick KO2 over Cookie Wallace. I saw the Middleton fight live. I had to eat crow with my high school friends after the Norton and Tate losses. Didn't see the Sanford fight until very recently. If I had seen that, the Norton fight may have been less of a surprise.

[Caractacus]

yet for someone who was reportedly "over-Hyped" why is it that there doesnt seem to be any film or video-tape of his first 25 professional fights ?
I think the first televised fight of his may have been against Bunny Johnson (a preliminary to the Ali vrs Dunn title fight)

[Tony1244]

yet for someone who was reportedly "over-Hyped" why is it that there doesnt seem to be any film or video-tape of his first 25 professional fights ?
I think the first televised fight of his may have been against Bunny Johnson (a preliminary to the Ali vrs Dunn title fight)

I haven't seen the Bobick-Bunny Johnson fight since it's happened, but I've looked for it.

[Caractacus]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyMEojHEZlc

[Caractacus]

Duane Bobicks 37th professional fight was against Chuck Wepner-0ctober.2.1976
40 years ago this week !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy4Eofj8xgU

[Caractacus]

Did you notice how similar Duane's and Rodney Bobick's stances looked there against Larry Holmes and Chuck Wepner ?

[Caractacus]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCZXF3ql1Z0

[Caractacus]

Is there any footage of Muhammad Ali sparring with Rodney Bobick ?
Muhammad Ali also had used Rodney Bobick when he was in Tokyo
getting ready to take on Antonio Inoki.

[Caractacus]

[ron4972]

Bobick's TKO win over Bunny Johnson was televised live in May 1977. That bout has got to be out there somewhere, although I haven't seen it on any collector's list.

I remember thinking that Johnson won rounds three through seven. I didn't think that Johnson was too badly beaten up in the eighth. I was surprised that Johnson was pulled out at the end of that round.

[ron4972]

I saw the Middleton fight live.

How did that fight go, from your perspective? I remember reading about the match in the magazines. The write-ups indicated that Bobick won almost every round, but didn't look especially good. Allegedly Bobick had Middleton in some trouble in the fourth.

It's too bad that Bobick's eighth round stoppage of Scott LeDoux isn't available on film. That was Bobick's signature win, showcasing his strength and mauling ability. LeDoux wasn't an easy guy to stop back in those days.

[Tony1244]

Wow. Thanks for that. Don't think I've ever seen Bobick-Prater.

Couple of thoughts: In the first round, maybe the second, Prater lands a great right hand and walks away like he thought Bobick was about to go down. He didn't.

People complained that Wilder got a few seconds before the 8th round started against Ortiz. Prater was given much longer than that twice here! Didn't rememebr they that they did that back then.

[Tony1244]

I saw the Middleton fight live.

How did that fight go, from your perspective? I remember reading about the match in the magazines. The write-ups indicated that Bobick won almost every round, but didn't look especially good. Allegedly Bobick had Middleton in some trouble in the fourth.

It's too bad that Bobick's eighth round stoppage of Scott LeDoux isn't available on film. That was Bobick's signature win, showcasing his strength and mauling ability. LeDoux wasn't an easy guy to stop back in those days.

The write ups you read sound about right. Bobick beat him up. Don't remember any knockdowns. Middleton was very puffy and bloody. Bobick took some good shots to the top of his head as he was coming in, doing that mauling thing. I remember Duane won the last round big trying to take him out, Bobick's nose may have been a little bloody.

Fight not that different from the Prater fight I just watched.

I agree. Would love to see the Bobick-LeDoux fights.

I was a big Bobick and Leon Spinks fan. I now see their limitations much clearer than I did then.

[Tony1244]

Is the the Knoetzee one on Youtube?

If not, can you put it up?

I wouldn't mind seeing that.

Here is the full fight(3 rounds)but no audio
February-4-1978

A fascinating sidebar to this fight it it made The Twilight Zone movie. It was the evil kid part.

[Caractacus]

this is most video-footage that I've seen of this bout in years.

[Caractacus]

Flash forward to Duane Bobick's 37th professional fight
October.2.1976-televised live on ABC-TV.

[Caractacus]

-38th professional fight
October.30.1976
-The CBS Sports Spectacular

[Caractacus]

-39th professional fight
May.11. 1977
NBC-TV

[evrenb]

His fight with Clyde Brown is available.

[Caractacus]

yeah, but is it available on-line to be seen on youtube ,that is the question,
because quite frankly most of us here at the forum I'm sure don't have 75 quid to be able to purchase the video
for our very own viewing pleasure.

[evrenb]

yeah, but is it available on-line to be seen on youtube ,that is the question,
because quite frankly most of us here at the forum I'm sure don't have 75 quid to be able to purchase the video
for our very own viewing pleasure.

Maybe change the title of the thread to 'fights on YouTube ' ?

[delisa]

Too bad Bobick's wins over Middleton and (a then unknown) Mike Weaver wern't on TV, those were his best wins, I'd be interested in seeing them.

This card was on HBO in its earliest days -- I recall both the Bobick-Middleton bout and Soto-Douglas -- the rest of the card I can't recall.

[Caractacus]

I use to have HBO when I lived in town back in early 1980's.
I remember they use to send to subscription subscibers each month in the mail a little mini-magazine on what was coming on for the next month
.
i wonder if anyone has checked those ones they may have sent in the 1970's,
to see if they also included who was fighting in the preliminary's for the live HBO broadcasts.
BTW doesn't HBO have an archive of their live events or did they wipe those too ?