Professional boxers in Olympics is a bad idea, say fighters

This is pathetic (imo) and shouldn't have been allowed. However, i'd be lying if I said I wouldn't be fascinated to see a top class pro competing.

Professional boxers in Olympics is a bad idea, say fighters, others


Lennox Lewis: "Olympic boxing is built for amateurs and is the highest achievement you can get, alongside being world amateur champion. All of a sudden you could have a scenario where someone like former world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, who won Olympic gold in Atlanta and has so much experience, could go up against a kid of 18 who has had just 10 fights."

Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.: "Professional versus amateur boxers is a real crime. It is attacking the very roots of boxing. It endangers the lives and careers of young talented [amateur\ boxers."

Larry Holmes: "Amateurs should not fight professionals. It won't be a fair fight. I would not do it. Removing the headgear from amateurs is a huge mistake. The idea is to make boxing safer, not to let them get hurt due to commercial interests."

Carl Frampton: "Pro boxers being allowed to fight in Olympics is ridiculous. They're two different sports. It's like a badminton player playing tennis. AIBA have got worse since I was an amateur, and that's hard to believe. What about the amateurs who've been dreaming of the Olympics for years, have yet to qualify and some pro takes their spot at the last minute?"

Ricky Hatton: "What are AIBA thinking? Goodbye amateur boxing now, as far as I'm concerned. Can't say I'm a fan of this."

David Haye: "All it's going to take is one 17-year-old kid from Sweden fighting an American 30-year-old current world champion, puts the poor kid into a coma and then everyone will ask: 'Why did you allow that to happen?' Obviously, it is a contact sport, so why would you allow that 17-year-old boy to fight this 30-year-old man who has already won the Olympics 10 years ago? What's the point?"

Badou Jack: "I fought in the Olympics eight years ago. You cannot allow fights between professionals or world champions and young amateur fighters. That would be a big risk."

Erik Morales: "As an amateur, you are in a learning stage. At the end of the day, amateur fighters are not familiar on what professional boxing is. That would be a great disadvantage to happen in the Olympics. They don't have the skills, the training [or] experience. I don't understand this. Professionals have a lot of advantages over amateurs."

Some promoters also weighed in.

Rodney Berman: "Pro boxers at the Olympics? About as stupid as it gets."

Lou DiBella: "AIBA is a disgrace."

Khan thinks it's a good idea though. Just about sums the cunt up really!
Maybe he'll fight at HW for another circus show.

the craziest sports decision I have ever heard

Lewis said something about put me in with an amateur in my prime and them with no headgear and it ends badly - sums it up

Allow me to play Devil's Advocate



I think it might be just the kind of shake up the sport needs....if professionals are allowed in the Olympics (which is allowed for other sports: soccer, basketball, hockey, tennis, volleyball, cycling etc) it might stir up some interest in that there will be no money prize (not that would compete with a professional purse I am certain), but there will be the prize of gold. When promoters keep the biggest fights from happening until nobody cares anymore, an Olympic style tournament is a fucking brilliant idea! Let's say GGG was in the Olympics and Andre Ward was in the Olympics....all one would have to do in order to get them to fight each other is for them to be in the same amateur weight class and boom fight MADE.


People are viewing this like amateur boxers would even make the Olympic teams if professionals were allowed to box....would an amateur make an U-23 side that are going to the Olympics for soccer? Would an amateur make the US basketball team? Would an amateur make the Canadian hockey team? It's highly doubtful! Now SOME nations might send some young kids to the games, but fucking Christ sakes man Felix Savon was in his 30's and battering teenagers at the Olympics what's the difference with allowing a professional?

in general terms, it sounds a bit silly

BUT .... truly elite amateur boxers, who have mastered the pace of fighting fewer rounds, the scoring system and tactics, plus the very different refereeing - and who have been doing it for years - would beat most pros at this game

We are acting like they would be pissed on or killed. That's pretty disrespectful to amateur boxing. I think most medals would be won by amateurs

Does anyone really think that the likes of Teofilio Stevenson or Felix Savon would have been cannon fodder for a pro back in the day?

One thing I do think is most professionals won't be able to stay on the weight for any period of time, and they won't be used to fighting every other day.

This will be Floyd’s next move. Now that it’s been approved that he may fight that ufc guy Megregor and it will count as #50, he can shelf that and now go get the gold he didn’t win, get paid 30 million and have a 3 rounder count as his 50th.;D

Agree with you on that though Lyle yes - if other sports are doing it then boxing shouldn't be any different

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Originally Posted by Mark TKO

Agree with you on that though Lyle yes - if other sports are doing it then boxing shouldn't be any different

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Boxing kind of stands alone in comparison to other sports does it not? And for a litany of reasons no?

Jeff Powell has got a few badly wrong recently (exclusively announced Floyd versus Khan a while ago) but he gets it right here:

Wu Ching-kuo's decision to let professionals compete at Rio could be deadly... there is genuine danger * | Daily Mail Online

Audley Harrison was 29 when he won Gold in Sydney, Povetkin was 25 when he won in Athens, Roberto Cammarelle was 28 when he won Gold in 2008, Anthony Joshua was 23 when he won in 2012.....the guys fighting at this level aren't all that young or inexperienced.


Also think about this, guys like Mike Tyson (of all people) missed out on the Olympics for Henry fucking Tillman....it's a different style, it's a different scoring system.

This is a no brainer.

They are taking out amateur wrestling and now want to introduce professional boxers into the amateurs. The Olympics are starting to suck worst and worst. Also if an amateur beats a champion does that now put them as the number 1 contender when they turn pro? I guess it also leaves the door open for say a Mayweather or Con to finally get the gold which eluded them the 1st time around.

It doesn't matter if they let NBA players into the olympics to toy with countries that don't have any good players, nobody is getting hurt. Ditto for any other game. I don't follow amateur boxing or know the qualifying format and such, but seems there could be no way to ensure that you weren't ending up with the mismatches people are worried about, right? Some countries don't even have any solid pros, maybe just some young kids trying to make it there. Cuba has always been different because their best fighters often practically had to stay in the am's, it was their only good life and career choice.

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Originally Posted by p4pking

Cuba has always been different because their best fighters often practically had to stay in the am's, it was their only good life and career choice.

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Often? Try ALWAYS, and USSR very same and China very same (with subtle changes recently).

As for no one is getting hurt...basketball is a non-contact sport, try something a bit more physical...are amateurs allowed in/competitive in Olympic Hockey? Are people being hurt there? Are amateur boxers guaranteed to be safe without adding professionals in?



I think the main issue everyone is missing is that there would be more eyes on Olympic boxing if professionals were involved and when you're attempting to grow a sport this could help the product.....it would definitely help out the United States' boxing program, imagine it, amateurs getting to learn from professionals, professional trainers, professional sponsors....I fail to see the downside other than the "we don't want a 16 year old fighting his first fight against a 32 year old current title holder" which I'm sorry is a bogus claim, amateur boxing wouldn't allow that fight to take place.