Pro Boxers To Fight At The Olympics

[walrus]

Professional Boxers Set To Become Eligible To Compete At Olympics

Words fail me.

Thank god @denilson200

[powerpuncher]

It wouldn't work well because a three rounder with the type of scoring and headgear would just be weird with professionals.

[J_Undisputed]

I don't know if it really changes all that much . If knock downs and 8 counts don't count for squat and the tally is still the amount of punches landed on the target areas, the biggest difference is going to be is the removal of headgear that happened last time. The different weight classes could severely handicap a pro if they're used to 'nelo-ing their own niche weight class because the weigh ins are on the morning of your fight!

Theoretically a pro might have a more of a chance to KO someone, even with those two tone pillows they give you. These are the type of gloves most pros use for sparring. So the pros that are really heavy handed might change the odds, but everything else still favors the feather fisted kids like Floyd and generally the ones out of Cuba who were taking the gold anyway with pitty pat scoring flurries The experience does count for something but I don't think you'll find a pro that's really going to love the experience of going back to that system. It would be like having to put training wheels, a bell and a banana seat on your ducati to race the Isle of Man TT.

[Dark Lord Al]

They has ruined the Olympics by allowing pro basketball , tennis players etc so who really cares anymore.

[erics44]

I think it will be good

give some pros who aren't big names a chance to make a name for themselves

[erics44]

problem is, how would they qualify?

[J_Undisputed]

They're probably use a a set of criteria like the last one. I think you had to have under 15 pro bouts in order to qualify in London. They're probably removing that cap but you'd have to figure that:
- You probably cant be a champ/ belt holder, I wonder if the olympic participation will drop your ranking either by law or by inactivity
- Of course testing clean. Same day weigh ins.
- Probably can't bring your own coach or team or gear (except for mouthpiece) to competition.
- You probably have to fight for your birth country or maybe the country you pay the most taxes to . As you have fighters now with dual citizenship. That probably rectifies situations like "sorry the us team is full but i hear Turkey is looking for some hired guns...apply there"
- No endorsement deals, cuz you know the pay alone will keep many of the pro's away.

If its a free for all it will screw the whole sport, even the pros...

[TitoFan]

I think it will be good

give some pros who aren't big names a chance to make a name for themselves

.....aaaaaand our streak of disagreeing on everything remains intact.

[Master]

They has ruined the Olympics by allowing pro basketball , tennis players etc so who really cares anymore.

That is true and ruined the whole notion of the Olympics. It spoils the chances of real ameteurs and makes a mockery of boxing.

[Spicoli]

Seems a bit silly and far fetched. To have a pic of Mayweather and the idea that he'd want to 'seek the medal that so eluded him' is honestly laughable. It's also a slap in the face to every single top boxer who plied his trade from childhood and earned his way thru the County, State and amateur ranks. Its like asking a College grad and successful business owner if they would like shut the doors to return to grade school and spend months making macaroni art in a desk they no longer fit in. It goes against everything a wanna be mega star fights for. We have a heavyweight titlist who incorporates his bronze medal into a nickname and catch phrase, guys like Mayweather and Holyfield cringe when you even mention it.

[p4pking]

I'd like to see Genady Golovkin against the best amateur from Kazakhstan in the trials.

[IamInuit]

I don't know if it really changes all that much . If knock downs and 8 counts don't count for squat and the tally is still the amount of punches landed on the target areas, the biggest difference is going to be is the removal of headgear that happened last time. The different weight classes could severely handicap a pro if they're used to 'nelo-ing their own niche weight class because the weigh ins are on the morning of your fight!

Theoretically a pro might have a more of a chance to KO someone, even with those two tone pillows they give you. These are the type of gloves most pros use for sparring. So the pros that are really heavy handed might change the odds, but everything else still favors the feather fisted kids like Floyd and generally the ones out of Cuba who were taking the gold anyway with pitty pat scoring flurries The experience does count for something but I don't think you'll find a pro that's really going to love the experience of going back to that system. It would be like having to put training wheels, a bell and a banana seat on your ducati to race the Isle of Man TT.

I'm against it because I'm wondering when the coddling ends. How far will they go? Back to fight the guy you lost to in highschool. It’s like a bunch of spoiled babies want to go back and win something that elluded them or could not win and on an uneven playing field. Amateur programs don’t need in help in flawed systems. It just seems to me like idol worship gone stupid. How can winning Olympic gold as a boxer after fighting pro for 5, 10 or 15 years account for anything? To have the word dubious appear in notes to the entry in one’s legacy. Sadly it fits with the times and the same mentality ruling much of the pro world. The appearance of some kind of legitimacy at any cost which includes the fraud of getting it and keeping it.