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."
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