Quote Originally Posted by eagle
Paint the picture. You have become the manager or trainer of a 22 yr old fighter. The kid has had 120 amateur fights with only 5 losses. He has won a world amateur title, and is lookin to turn pro.
What route do you take? Do u put him in against seasoned pros early trying to get a world title shot early like tszyu or mayweather or DLH.

Or do you bring him along slower like happned with Hatton, or even Kessler?

What would u do?













You bring him along slowly....The first 5 or 6 are gimme fights...then you put him in with guys that are not going to beat him but give him a bit of difficulity (this lets you know on what you need to work on with your guy)....after you make adjustments you get your man a couple more gimme fights so he can add the adjustments to his repitoir....Then if you haven't already get him a southpaw to fight.....Bring him up to the next level of guys on his level to see how that works...again make adjustments if need be...by this time your guy has 12-13 fights and it is time to start facing trial horse type guys and journeyman.....
Contrary to popular belief no matter how good you guy is as an amatuer the pro's are a whole new ballgame....And I don't mean because of no headgear......or scoring system....
If your guy is going to lose you want it to happen early but again not to early...and if he does you want it to be against a guy who is a journeyman or in a close decision....by throwing a guy in with stiffs and speeding him up the rankings to a title shot is not good for a fighter.....for 2 reasons''''

1. False bravado..the fighter believes he is actually better then waht he is and has no clue on what happened...he can care less menatllly all his opp was 5-15 or was ko'd his last 4 times out all he knows and cares about is he is winning....

2. When he does finally have to face an elite fighter (and that time will come) he will not only lose but be ruined mentally and physically....I have seen it happen to a hundred fighters and will see it happen to a 100 more.....mainly with heavyweights but once that confidence is shattered the fighter might as well become a bag boy at the local supermarket because all the skill in the world won't fix his confidence....

Examples---Michael Grant---Lennox Lewis ruined him..

Jeff Lacey--no shame in losing to Calzaghe obviously but look what it has done to him...from fighting has beens and stiffs...

Kermit Cintron--He bounced back and won a title but Margarito embaressed and destroyed him...this due to the overconfidence i spoke of...

If you are a true trainer who knows his shit you know if the guy has it or not...If he doesn't you let him know and have him move on in the name of professionalism and decency..