By Mark Vester
Former four-time heavyweight champion, and 1984 Olympic Bronze Medal winner, Evander Holyfield, sat ringside in Beijing, China to wathc some of the failures of this year's U.S. Olympic boxing team, and says the root cause of their shortcomings can be traced back to money.
Holyfield had predicted three American golds medals this year, but only one fighters is left standing out of nine - heavyweight Deontay Wilder. Holyfield believes that managers are manipulating the amateurs to not concentrate enough on their amateur careers, which saves the managers money when the time comes to pay the fighters in the pro ranks. These days, managers are rushing fighters from the amateur level to the pros. Holyfield himself had 150 wins as an amateur before he joined the pro ranks.
"They didn't do very well, not well at all," Holyfield told Reuters. "We've got to tighten up the amateur program so that in four years we do a whole lot better. The problem is that these days it's all about money. When it's all about money this happens. The guys are just thinking about money. There's a kind of manipulation where the kids are being told 'go and turn pro, gold medals aren't important'. (The managers) don't want the guys winning golds because then they have to pay them more."
"Back in the day, amateur boxing was on TV every weekend in the States. It inspired you to box. When you have a good amateur program it helps develop well-rounded boxers. Look at the pro game now. Why do the championships change hands so quickly? It's because these guys don't know how to fight different styles."
"When you're a pro you avoid the fighters whose style doesn't suit your style, it makes them weak. Amateur boxing is harder than pro, you have to fight everybody in your draw. Without a good amateur grounding, it's the same as missing elementary and middle school and high school. It's your education as a boxer."
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