Professional boxers in Olympics is a bad idea, say fighters

[TitoFan]

Why don't you want to see the most talented boxers in the Olympics? I thought the Olympics was there to showcase the very best every sport has to offer....well if professional basketball players are playing Olympic basketball, pro hockey players playing Olympic hockey, pro soccer players playing Olympic soccer, then why no pro boxers? Why hold boxing back?

The "other sports" argument, huh? So you're one of those people who cheered when, embarrassed by having the rest of the world catching up with the U.S. in Olympic basketball.... the U.S. persuaded the Olympic committee to let the Jordans, the Magics, the Birds, invade the Olympic team, forming that famous "Dream Team"..... and turning the Olympic basketball competition into a farce. If you feel that was a good change to the Olympics, then we have nothing more to discuss. The premise under which the Olympics existed for many many years before the Dream Team became violated, and now it's looked at as the norm. I liked it back when college basketball players were out there fighting and scratching for their gold medal.

Yeah, about that....remember 1980 "Do You Believe In Miracles" ? That was an amateur US hockey team vs Russian professionals who somehow retained amateur status....soooo yeah.


And Usain Bolt is a professional and in soccer Professionals!

The Olympics should be about the best athletes period

That 1980 Miracle..... one of the most memorable events in Olympic sports history to this date.

Mentioning Usain Bolt is entering a blurry area, inasmuch as track and field athletes in other countries get paid, which technically makes them professionals. But frankly... most of them have day jobs to go along with their stipends as athletes.

And your opinion on what Olympics should be is well noted... but not a unanimous one by any means. It blurs that line that used to separate the amateurs from the pros. Actually... erases the line is more like it. I don't see what was wrong with the original concept... it worked well for over 100 years.

[El Kabong]

Why don't you want to see the most talented boxers in the Olympics? I thought the Olympics was there to showcase the very best every sport has to offer....well if professional basketball players are playing Olympic basketball, pro hockey players playing Olympic hockey, pro soccer players playing Olympic soccer, then why no pro boxers? Why hold boxing back?

The "other sports" argument, huh? So you're one of those people who cheered when, embarrassed by having the rest of the world catching up with the U.S. in Olympic basketball.... the U.S. persuaded the Olympic committee to let the Jordans, the Magics, the Birds, invade the Olympic team, forming that famous "Dream Team"..... and turning the Olympic basketball competition into a farce. If you feel that was a good change to the Olympics, then we have nothing more to discuss. The premise under which the Olympics existed for many many years before the Dream Team became violated, and now it's looked at as the norm. I liked it back when college basketball players were out there fighting and scratching for their gold medal.

Yeah, about that....remember 1980 "Do You Believe In Miracles" ? That was an amateur US hockey team vs Russian professionals who somehow retained amateur status....soooo yeah.


And Usain Bolt is a professional and in soccer Professionals!

The Olympics should be about the best athletes period

That 1980 Miracle..... one of the most memorable events in Olympic sports history to this date.

Mentioning Usain Bolt is entering a blurry area, inasmuch as track and field athletes in other countries get paid, which technically makes them professionals. But frankly... most of them have day jobs to go along with their stipends as athletes.

And your opinion on what Olympics should be is well noted... but not a unanimous one by any means. It blurs that line that used to separate the amateurs from the pros. Actually... erases the line is more like it. I don't see what was wrong with the original concept... it worked well for over 100 years.

Professional sports and the money it makes is a relatively new thing, the Olympics will either adapt or fade in relevance