Duane Bobick

In 1971 Duane Bobick won the AAU heavyweight title, and the Pan American Games gold medal. He won the 1972 Golden Gloves championship, and was considered a favorite for the 1972 Olympic gold medal. At the 1971 Pan Ams, Bobick had defeated Cuban Teófilo Stevenson, but Stevenson TKOed Bobick in the quarter-finals at München, went on to win the gold medal, and became a legendary amateur heavyweight.

Bobick turned professional and became the first in a long line of “Great White Hopes.” He faced some major fighters, including Ken Norton and John Tate, but never fought for a major title. Bobick boxed professionally from 1973 through July 1979, finishing with a career record of 48 wins (42 by KO) and 4 losses, all by knockout. He returned to Minnesota and later did heavy industrial work. In 1997 Bobick was almost killed when his arms were caught and crushed between paper rolls in a paper mill, and he narrowly avoided amputations. That same year he was given the Acts of Kindness: Governor’s Volunteer Award for his work as a volunteer which included school, church and hospital volunteer work. Bobick later suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and had to be cared for full-time by his wife.