Issue 5: Bob Canobbio Biggest Snub by Boxing HOF
Another year passed where Bob Canobbio was not acknowledged by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF), as the 2021 inductees were revealed Tuesday.
“Bob who?” I can hear people saying to themselves before completing the thought. Was he a boxer?
No, but Canobbio did corner the boxing statistics market 35 years ago when he created CompuBox.
The evolved computer program equipped to track a fighter’s punching activity in real time is used by every television and streaming network today. Trainers and fighters look to CompuBox pre- and post-fight, as do all members of the media and fans.
Canobbio has reshaped how pugilism is discussed, dissected and evaluated.
I’m not privy to the IBHOF’s annual selection discussions, but they have carved out an induction category for those that have made contributions apart from roles as boxers or observers, called “Non-Participant.”
However, regardless of category, and in Canobbio’s case, consideration for induction into the IBHOF should ultimately only have to answer one question:
When we talk about the history of boxing, can we do so without mentioning Bob Canobbio?
I believe that answer is no.
The humbled Long Island native embodies how fortune favors the bold. I know this from the years of sitting near him ringside, watching him and his sons tabulate punches for widespread consumption.
However, I gained a greater a more intimate understanding of his story when he came on my podcast a year ago to discuss how he founded CompuBox, and all his influences along the way.
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And if there's ever a topic you'd like to get my thoughts on, or a question you have, please don't hesitate to ask or suggest something.
Until next time...
-Benjamin Block