Would you like to see professionals in Olympics?

No thanks. Amateur boxing needs more and better amateur boxers. Adding pros in there would be dumb.

Plus, like TKO said, since not everybody would compete, it won't be taken as seriously. It'll basically be the equivalent of a WBO title...heck more like IBO.

 

I thouht the last four Olympics should have made it perfectly clear for the US boxing fans that amateurs are not a practicing field or chance to show talent anymore. There are countries to whom its the ultimate goal and those are the guys that are winning the medals. Are they the best boxers in the world too? Maybe, maybe not. We would see if it was an open competition

 

Id rather see boxing dropped from the olympics all together, olympic boxing stinks.:doh:

 

There are already too many fighters who won't take fights where they could make millions. You think those fighters are gonna take fights where they don't make anything?


TFK

 

It matters not if they do or not. The point is, they should have the option to do it. It is downright ridiculous tha if a guy has once competed in one sport he is banned from another for eternity

 

Yeah but some 10-0 kid who gets about 1,000 bucks a fight might decide to try and make a name for themself and do just that. I think it should be open to them.

 

I totally agree with the thread starter. We have pros in practically every other olympic sport.. track, basketball, hockey... yet we won't allow a boxer to go to the olympics because he's tried to make a good living doing whaqt he is good at ?

Of course many of the elite fighters would not fight in the olympics.. because they simply wouldn't have the financial incentive to do so, and I wouldn't expect them to.. but if they choose to.. they should be allowed to enter the olympic tryouts and if they make it then so be it.. have them fight for the gold. For example.. a guy like Judah.. clearly a dominant 4 round fighter... who is also on the downside of his career, might decide to attempt to revive it and go for gold. Why not ? There is certainly a good chance that he could do well, even under the stringent olympic scoring.

I'm not suggesting that pro boxers be allowed to fight as amateurs, the olympics is no longer an "amateur only" event. People want to see the best in the world.

 

I love it that pro boxers aren't included. I don't think pro athletes should be included in any sports where the pro/am line is clearly drawn and the pros make a lot of money.

So, people making under some number--say $250,000 per year--are not considered pros for the purposes of eligibility, but those above, would be.

That way, we get rid of the people who truly are 'professionals', but we don't get rid of athletes where their country supports them, gives them benefits, etc., but not to the ridiculous degree that a 'true' professional is compensated.

And, yes, I understand that mY proposal needs a lot of work and clarification (endorsements/currency exchange/etc).

 

I agree here. A pro football player shoudl be able to try out for olympic amateur boxing.

 

So in effect, you want the Olympics to become The Contender.