No gold medals for Puerto Rico, Mexico, or USA

Most of us know winning an Olympic medal, even gold, is no guarantee of professional success. But I'll roll with an Olympic champion over your run-of-the-mill pro rookie any day. Khan won a silver in the Olympics. He's a good fighter, a two time world champion and, at age twenty-five, his career is far from over. Amir has probably already made more money than most other boxers with his age and pro experience. He's a real loser. Harrison was a bust. But was that so because he was an Olympic champion? Hardly. My guess is that it was despite being a gold medal winner. Never underestimate the unpredictability of life. We'll never know what ultimately prevented Audley from achieving his potential. Rigo? You can make all the assertions you want about his being unproven as a professional. That's all fine for the present, but the man has known nothing but success in boxing his entire life. That’s a fact. Hundreds of amateur wins, two Olympic gold medals and a perfect record as a pro. I know...another loser. Olympic boxing could be better, but it’s certainly not a joke. Tell that to the young men that work their butts off for the chance at Olympic glory. Tell that to the champions that win gold. Tell that to the ones who fall short and shed tears because their dream has evaporated. I know, I know…losers. SMH Agree. Such losers like Whitaker, RJJ, Oscar, Floyd, Ward, Lewis just to mention a few....

Khan had a medal, we all know how well he turned out. Audley Harrison won a gold medal too. And look what a great pro he has been... lol, so rigo should be rewarded then since he was a 2 time or (was it 3 time) gold medalist even knowing olympic boxing is a f0cking joke? :lol1: Most of us know winning an Olympic medal, even gold, is no guarantee of professional success. But I'll roll with an Olympic champion over your run-of-the-mill pro rookie any day. Khan won a silver in the Olympics. He's a good fighter, a two time world champion and, at age twenty-five, his career is far from over. Amir has probably already made more money than most other boxers with his age and pro experience. He's a real loser. Harrison was a bust. But was that so because he was an Olympic champion? Hardly. My guess is that it was despite being a gold medal winner. Never underestimate the unpredictability of life. We'll never know what ultimately prevented Audley from achieving his potential. Rigo? You can make all the assertions you want about his being unproven as a professional. That's all fine for the present, but the man has known nothing but success in boxing his entire life. That’s a fact. Hundreds of amateur wins, two Olympic gold medals and a perfect record as a pro. I know...another loser. Olympic boxing could be better, but it’s certainly not a joke. Tell that to the young men that work their butts off for the chance at Olympic glory. Tell that to the champions that win gold. Tell that to the ones who fall short and shed tears because their dream has evaporated. I know, I know…losers. SMH

Four of our fighters where teenagers and 2 of them got to one win from a medal. If they stay the course, they will be good.

Since it is officially now...the real reason why US Boxing Sucks Because GBP is rewarding young guys like Broner and Canelo stardom without having any Success in the Olympics or really even being MAJOR STAND OUTS during their Amateur Careers... Seems like back in the day if you did not Medal and especially did not win GOLD...the chances of becoming a SUPERSTAR IN BOXING was very SLIM...VERY SLIM now you don't need a Medal and for some you don't even need an extensive or illustrious Amateur Career lol, so rigo should be rewarded then since he was a 2 time or (was it 3 time) gold medalist even knowing olympic boxing is a f0cking joke? :lol1:

I think that a return to a more professional approach (no headgear, ten-point must, etc.) will mark a return to the Olympic boxing's past glory. I'm really interested to see what effect those changes have. Especially the no headgear thing...we haven't seen that since the 1980 Olympics. Khan had a medal, we all know how well he turned out. Yep. Audley Harrison won a gold medal too. And look what a great pro he has been...

Without getting too far off topic, I'll just say that this statement is a little misguided. Cubans also suffer hunger. The government hands out rations (what a sad joke that is). People are allowed a small amount of food. When their share runs out...oh, well. But I don't deny that your argument makes sense. I'm just not sold that it explains everything. There are people starving all over the world. Some of them still manage to bring home a gold medal. Jamaica is a great example. It's a tiny, impoverished island; yet, they boast the fastest sprinters in the world. Sprinting doesn't pay any bills, unless (maybe) you win Olympic gold. What's their motivation? National pride? I dunno about that.... Well we can agree to disagree on Cuba. As far as Jamaica, you said it yourself Olympic gold pays bills.for Jamaicans, there isn't a better alternative to become great other than being great at the olympics. If there was an alternative to make money faster than the olympics I'm sure Jamaicans would do that instead.

Since it is officially now...the real reason why US Boxing Sucks Because GBP is rewarding young guys like Broner and Canelo stardom without having any Success in the Olympics or really even being MAJOR STAND OUTS during their Amateur Careers... Seems like back in the day if you did not Medal and especially did not win GOLD...the chances of becoming a SUPERSTAR IN BOXING was very SLIM...VERY SLIM now you don't need a Medal and for some you don't even need an extensive or illustrious Amateur Career And to me it shows even during their PRO CAREERS because many young fighters to day they all have MAJOR HOLES in their style of fighting...most impressive and most completely up and coming American fighter that is TRULY IMPRESSIVE is Gary Russell Jr and he had a STRONG AMATEUR CAREER and did make it to the Olympics and likely would have done very well if he did not pass out trying to make weight so he did not get a chance to compete in the Olympics...the Rest like Broner and Alvarez: Broner is just NATURALLY GIFTED, A talent like his you only see come around every FEW DECADES, he is one of those guys that is like a SPONGE, he can MIMIC WHAT HE SEES (FROM Mayweather Of Course) and he is an Amazing Athlete so he is able to get away with his FLAWS and in the PROCESS he is still learning how to Box...and as for Canelo, he just have THE LOOK and really nothing more, I think Oscar really likes his LOOK and feel he is very Marketable and he can buy him time and Cherry Pick his way to STARDOM What if fighters had to medal in the Olympics to be Eligible to turn PRO or at least had some type of requirement during their Amateur Career, I guarantee you then fighters would take things more Serious lol It is no talent disparage, the other countries don't have better TALENT then the Americans, it was a few fighters from America who lost to fighters that we all know is not more talented then they are not even close, but what they have is a BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW OLYMPICS SCORING WORKS and they use that to their Advantage, that is what the Russian fighter did today against Spence, he just Clinched him and disrupted Spence Rhythm but he wasn't a better fighter then Spence...and this is why Andre Ward did so good in the Olympics and is dominating as a PRO, because he was the LAST AMERICAN that actually UNDERSTOOD how the SCORING SYSTEM WORKED, he is a BEAST INSIDE and he knows how to use the CLINCH PROPERLY...it is funny how some people BASH WARD STYLE but then I watch them cheer and root for fighters during this Olympics that basically uses his STRATEGY lol America will be fine, but get some AMATEUR COACHES from other Countries to come in a HELP just like the higher Olympic Coaches from other Countries to help with Soccer/Futbol...DO THE SAME WITH BOXING it may not get you back to the Dominance they had but at least the will MEDAL A LOT MORE You make some good points. Olympic boxing has moved so far away from its professional sibling that a specific amateur style has emerged. There's little resemblance to the pro game, and a few athletes have lost interest and motivation. I think that a return to a more professional approach (no headgear, ten-point must, etc.) will mark a return to the Olympic boxing's past glory. An Olympic gold medal is something all amateur boxers dream of. If it means what it once did, it'll be much more than just symbolic. It'll be recognition of true excellence in the sport.

These two aspects correlate. The fact is that Cuba is a poor nation by definition. However, they're not driven by hunger. They are driven by pride and tradition. Because I'm sure you know well that poor Cubans are happier that other poor people in other countries at least they can eat something everyday. Anyway, I think our problem is that. Poverty. Why be an Olympic star when you can hope to be a pro boxing star and earn thousands of dollars. Without getting too far off topic, I'll just say that this statement is a little misguided. Cubans also suffer hunger. The government hands out rations (what a sad joke that is). People are allowed a small amount of food. When their share runs out...oh, well. But I don't deny that your argument makes sense. I'm just not sold that it explains everything. There are people starving all over the world. Some of them still manage to bring home a gold medal. Jamaica is a great example. It's a tiny, impoverished island; yet, they boast the fastest sprinters in the world. Sprinting doesn't pay any bills, unless (maybe) you win Olympic gold. What's their motivation? National pride? I dunno about that....

For a Mexican stylist, the Olympics won't help them develop for the pros. They love to go the body and place their punches well in order to wear opponents down for the later rounds. That won't win them many points in a 3 round amateur boxing match. That's for certain. There's definitely an amateur-friendly style. But that doesn't mean that you can't modify your approach for the Olympic games. I watched a Lithuanian guy last night win his match. I was amazed he has come this far. He was like a white Joe Frazier. lol Definitely not generally suited for Olympic success. The last time Mexico won an Olympic gold medal was 1968, in Mexico City (you can draw your own conclusions about that). I'm certain that the next Mexican boxer who brings home the glory would be hailed as a conquering hero. That in itself ought to be motivation for a talented, young Mexican fighter to succeed at the Olympics.

Since it is officially now...the real reason why US Boxing Sucks Because GBP is rewarding young guys like Broner and Canelo stardom without having any Success in the Olympics or really even being MAJOR STAND OUTS during their Amateur Careers... Seems like back in the day if you did not Medal and especially did not win GOLD...the chances of becoming a SUPERSTAR IN BOXING was very SLIM...VERY SLIM now you don't need a Medal and for some you don't even need an extensive or illustrious Amateur Career And to me it shows even during their PRO CAREERS because many young fighters to day they all have MAJOR HOLES in their style of fighting...most impressive and most completely up and coming American fighter that is TRULY IMPRESSIVE is Gary Russell Jr and he had a STRONG AMATEUR CAREER and did make it to the Olympics and likely would have done very well if he did not pass out trying to make weight so he did not get a chance to compete in the Olympics...the Rest like Broner and Alvarez: Broner is just NATURALLY GIFTED, A talent like his you only see come around every FEW DECADES, he is one of those guys that is like a SPONGE, he can MIMIC WHAT HE SEES (FROM Mayweather Of Course) and he is an Amazing Athlete so he is able to get away with his FLAWS and in the PROCESS he is still learning how to Box...and as for Canelo, he just have THE LOOK and really nothing more, I think Oscar really likes his LOOK and feel he is very Marketable and he can buy him time and Cherry Pick his way to STARDOM What if fighters had to medal in the Olympics to be Eligible to turn PRO or at least had some type of requirement during their Amateur Career, I guarantee you then fighters would take things more Serious lol It is no talent disparage, the other countries don't have better TALENT then the Americans, it was a few fighters from America who lost to fighters that we all know is not more talented then they are not even close, but what they have is a BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW OLYMPICS SCORING WORKS and they use that to their Advantage, that is what the Russian fighter did today against Spence, he just Clinched him and disrupted Spence Rhythm but he wasn't a better fighter then Spence...and this is why Andre Ward did so good in the Olympics and is dominating as a PRO, because he was the LAST AMERICAN that actually UNDERSTOOD how the SCORING SYSTEM WORKED, he is a BEAST INSIDE and he knows how to use the CLINCH PROPERLY...it is funny how some people BASH WARD STYLE but then I watch them cheer and root for fighters during this Olympics that basically uses his STRATEGY lol America will be fine, but get some AMATEUR COACHES from other Countries to come in a HELP just like the higher Olympic Coaches from other Countries to help with Soccer/Futbol...DO THE SAME WITH BOXING it may not get you back to the Dominance they had but at least the will MEDAL A LOT MORE

I alluded to this problem in my last post about the Puerto Rican fighters. If you're lucky enough to have a choice in life, a career in professional boxing is probably not the best option. Poverty is what drives these Mexican kids to start their pro careers at such a young age. You can't eat a gold medal. I don't think lack of government funding explains the Mexican amateur boxing situation. I'm not sure what the answer is, to be honest. But there are many poor countries that manage to win Olympic medals, not just in boxing. For all the talk about Cuba's vaunted sports program, the allocated resources are relatively poor. Have you ever seen the equipment and conditions these Cuban athletes work with? Yet they win gold medals in different events every time they compete in the Olympic games. These two aspects correlate. The fact is that Cuba is a poor nation by definition. However, they're not driven by hunger. They are driven by pride and tradition. Because I'm sure you know well that poor Cubans are happier that other poor people in other countries at least they can eat something everyday. Anyway, I think our problem is that. Poverty. Why be an Olympic star when you can hope to be a pro boxing star and earn thousands of dollars.

the us turned soft thts all thts to it lol obama got this country softt

There will be plenty British gold medal winners and they will all have trouble at the next level. You can cheat the system, but the talent and ability will eventually show itself.

They did but our program sucks because one, it's not well funded and two, Most kids prefer to turn pro at 15-17 y/o. The fact of the matter is that we're not known for creating amateur stars because the conditions most Mexican boxers come from make the pros more appealing because fighting at the pros has a much more lucrative future if you make it. Look at Oscar Valdez, he's almost Canelo's age and their difference in experience is worlds apart. I alluded to this problem in my last post about the Puerto Rican fighters. If you're lucky enough to have a choice in life, a career in professional boxing is probably not the best option. Poverty is what drives these Mexican kids to start their pro careers at such a young age. You can't eat a gold medal. I don't think lack of government funding explains the Mexican amateur boxing situation. I'm not sure what the answer is, to be honest. But there are many poor countries that manage to win Olympic medals, not just in boxing. For all the talk about Cuba's vaunted sports program, the allocated resources are relatively poor. Have you ever seen the equipment and conditions these Cuban athletes work with? Yet they win gold medals in different events every time they compete in the Olympic games.

For a Mexican stylist, the Olympics won't help them develop for the pros. They love to go the body and place their punches well in order to wear opponents down for the later rounds. That won't win them many points in a 3 round amateur boxing match.

Two boxers. But don't you have to qualify for the Olympics? If so, the fact that there were only two Mexicans competing in the games doesn't necessarily mean that the country only sent two. It could just mean that they were the only two to qualify. They did but our program sucks because one, it's not well funded and two, Most kids prefer to turn pro at 15-17 y/o. The fact of the matter is that we're not known for creating amateur stars because the conditions most Mexican boxers come from make the pros more appealing because fighting at the pros has a much more lucrative future if you make it. Look at Oscar Valdez, he's almost Canelo's age and their difference in experience is worlds apart.

As far as Mexico goes, look how many olympic boxers they sent. http://www.london2012.com/country/mexico/athletes/discipline=boxing/index.html That pretty much tells you how serious they were about that. Oscar did pretty well but his style is made for the Pros, we saw that against Devin. Two boxers. But don't you have to qualify for the Olympics? If so, the fact that there were only two Mexicans competing in the games doesn't necessarily mean that the country only sent two. It could just mean that they were the only two to qualify.

Collazo was very upset with his performance. He should had lay the path for the kids a lot better than losing in the first fight. Jantony and Jeyver already said that they want to go to Brasil 2016. I hope Verdejo stays with them too, he dont need to rush to the pros. Four more years of experience and fighting in the big stages can prepare them. Hopefully Oscar dont go to PR to lure them in. You can see in his twitter that he really likes them and his wife like them more so probably she will be pushing for it too. I hope, for the sake of PR boxing, they stay. I hope for their sake they stay. Those kids are too young to be going pro, in my opinion. That option is for those that have a rough road ahead in life, with little recourse. These Puerto Rican kids need to stay in school and work on their amateur careers in the meantime. The chances that one of them is the next Cotto or "Tito" are very slim. They need to develop and see where it all goes. If four years from now they feel that professional boxing is the way to go, then so be it.

Errol just been knocked out. If that's the case then the US got no medals. And the last Puerto Rican boxer was eliminated today as well. So the title of the thread is now official.

Is that surprising given the ridiculous judging compounded with the blatant match fixing? It's easy to win when you give the AIBA $10 million dollars for your medals... Cough Azerbaijan Cough...