Coaches Self Defense

Light heavyweights Matthew Saad Muhammad and Eddie Mustafa Muhammad with heavyweight king Muhammad Ali at Ali's Deer Lake, Pennsylvania training camp for Larry Holmes in 1980.

Ken Norton demolished unbeaten amateur star Duane Bobick with a 1st round TKO at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York in 1977.

Bobick won a national AAU title, a Golden Gloves championship and gold at the Pan-Am Games, and he was also a 1972 Olympian. A completely understandable loss to the great Teófilo Stevenson in the Olympics didn't seem to derail his potential, and the Minnesotan was a 38-0 heavyweight. The problem was he just hadn't defeated any worthwhile fighters.

On the other hand, Norton entered the bout a sympathetic figure and the favorite at about 11-to-2. He lost a second debatable decision to Muhammad Ali in his most recent fight and was still trying to prove his loss to George Foreman was an anomaly.

Seconds into the fight, Norton connected with a right hand, and moments later he landed a long right hand that rocked Bobick. Norton attacked, landing a number of overhand rights, then a right uppercut that got Bobick in the throat and visibly affected him. Another right hand put Bobick down and seemed to take his legs away.

Bobick rose to his feet just about at the count of 10, but the referee allowed the fight to go on before wisely jumping back in and stopping matters.

"I didn't plan to hit him in the throat," Norton said. "It's just like when you win a fight on a cut. It was luck. You don't plan thins that way. Bobick's a stationary target, though."

"I beat the count, was ready to continue even if I was wobbling a bit," Bobick said through a froggy voice. "My mind was clear, but the referee is in command.

🗣 "[The Thrilla in Manila] was like death. Closest thing to dyin' that I know of. I was thinking at the end, 'What am I doin' here against this beast of a man?' But after it's all over, now I want to tell the world that he's one helluva man, actually, and God bless him."

- Muhammad Ali after facing Joe Frazier a third time, 1975

'What drove me to the top was so many people reminding me, 'You ain't never going anywhere. You started from the ghetto and you'll land back in the ghetto.' l always said it's not going to be like that for me. My mama said she was poor so l would be rich. She said, 'Son, everybody makes mistakes. Don't ever get mad for the mistakes you make. A good attitude gives you a second chance.' When l go to schools and talk, l tell people l've had more setbacks than anybody. But do you know how l got through all those setbacks? A good attitude. Treat people right and have a good attitude.'

- Evander Holyfield