When is Anthony Johsua going to go pro?

[Tom Cruise]

That's what i;m saying. In any other country he would have lost by a very wide margin to Savon and IMO and quite a few others he lost to the Italian in the final. I'm not putting him down as a fighter but I think he should make haye whislt the sun shines. For any Amateur boxer now is the time to turn pro whilst your fresh in the peoples minds. If for isntance johsua gets to the world championsips, flops and doesnt medal? he will be forgotten and his once attractive Gold medal and popularity will be tarnished. People flock to the winners and not the runners up.

He has a great chance of winning gold, as he has proved over the last two tournaments beating many of the best in the world. If he does then great he is even more marketable and gets the extra experience, if not then he atleast has a load more experience to take with him into the pros.

In the short term you are right he could make a more money turning pro now, however him and his team are looking at his long term development as a boxer. He will make crap loads more money later on if he is successful than if he turns pro and flops (ask Audley).

There is no harm in waiting till after the Worlds. He still has bags of time to fill his potential and the Ams is a great place to learn your craft esp for someone who hasnt boxed for long.

edit: also dont forget he is getting paid a reasonable salary through the olympic lottery fund, and he gets to work with established pro trainer Robert Mcracken which is no bad thing.

[Bodyshot3]

I am guessing AJ is considering some pretty serious, lucrative options....Warren, Hearn, Hennessey, Golden Boy and perhaps even the Hattons, Maloney or Hayemaker must have all made the Bank Account call.

Although he's been honest to admit that he's not had that much amateur experience and seems to be eyeing a second world champs campaign to learn some more....I think we'll see AJ make his pro debut in the early Autumn on a big bill and that maybe there'll be a surprise down the line.

How about Hayemaker actually winning the signature for a Leftfield bet?

Would prefer him to go with Eddie Hearn and be trained by Tibbs or McCracken....but just have this inkling he might go for Booth/Haye instead.

[Skittlez]

That's what i;m saying. In any other country he would have lost by a very wide margin to Savon and IMO and quite a few others he lost to the Italian in the final. I'm not putting him down as a fighter but I think he should make haye whislt the sun shines. For any Amateur boxer now is the time to turn pro whilst your fresh in the peoples minds. If for isntance johsua gets to the world championsips, flops and doesnt medal? he will be forgotten and his once attractive Gold medal and popularity will be tarnished. People flock to the winners and not the runners up.

A few things to keep in mind.

Without head gear.. if it was pro.

The Klit Clone Dycho would have been knocked out and brutally by the 4th round.

That Italian would have been brutally knocked out in the 4th as well.

That is something you must understand .Joshua is suited to pro games not Olympics.

Think about it. He loses Round 1... comes back in Round 2. and goes on fire in the championship rounds. It honestly look like he was gonna KO Both Dycho and Roberto.
Those guys stand no chance at the Pro Level against Joshua.


Joshua is only 22-23. he's a baby that just started out.


ALSO you guys forgot he fought these SAME PEOPLE at the worlds and did very very well. He went to the finals and arguably got semi robbed.

Savon is the only stylistically nightmare for Joshua, but that means Fuk all.

Biggs beat Lewis in the Olympics as well. Lewis destroyed him in the Pros.

[NoLove]

Why do world championships? He cant beat gold medal at olympics and if he doesnt win it lowers his status. Theres no better time to turn pro than after winning an olympic gold.

[Tom Cruise]

Why do world championships? He cant beat gold medal at olympics and if he doesnt win it lowers his status. Theres no better time to turn pro than after winning an olympic gold.

Thing is though you're thinking about immediate payday, Joshua wants too develop himself as a boxer. The ams are a great place to learn basics in boxing, the are also good for getting more comfortable in the ring in terms of coping with pressure.

He could turn pro now and make millions strait up, but i like the fact he seems to care about his long term career over his bank account for now.

Also if he doesn't win at WC he will still be crazy marketable, people dont watch the WC so virtually no casual fans will see him lose, and most will just remember him for his gold medal. Also all promoters will still want to sign him which will keep his price high.

[Hougigo]

Dude's not winning any 1st place trophies outside London

[No1]

Thing is though you're thinking about immediate payday, Joshua wants too develop himself as a boxer. The ams are a great place to learn basics in boxing, the are also good for getting more comfortable in the ring in terms of coping with pressure.

He could turn pro now and make millions strait up, but i like the fact he seems to care about his long term career over his bank account for now.

Also if he doesn't win at WC he will still be crazy marketable, people dont watch the WC so virtually no casual fans will see him lose, and most will just remember him for his gold medal. Also all promoters will still want to sign him which will keep his price high.

I disagree, i feel the ams get fighters in silly habits that are hard to break. Ie Degale with his slapping punches. I feel Joshua would be better off going pro now and developing in the school of hard knocks so as to speak. Give him 5 years in the pros maturing his style and developing a pro fight game. I would hate to see him somewhat stagnate in the Ams and turn pro at a relativly late age like David Price, Audley Harrison etc

[Tom Cruise]

Dude's not winning any 1st place trophies outside London

Well he was 2 points off winning in the last WC against the home fighter so i wouldnt bet your house on that. No guarantees in am boxing obviously but still...

I disagree, i feel the ams get fighters in silly habits that are hard to break. Ie Degale with his slapping punches. I feel Joshua would be better off going pro now and developing in the school of hard knocks so as to speak. Give him 5 years in the pros maturing his style and developing a pro fight game. I would hate to see him somewhat stagnate in the Ams and turn pro at a relativly late age like David Price, Audley Harrison etc

I'd say Degale is an exception rather than a rule to be fair, Groves has had an almost identical boxing career and punches with decent power and technique as have others coming out of the Am system. Plus hes working with established pro trainer Rob Mccracken who will teach him how to punch properly im sure.

But in general terms i agree, and if he gets to 27yo+ and stays in the Ams for too long ill be on your side. But at 23, with only 43 or so fights i dont see it as a huge problem staying until the WC.