The only name I have heard so far is Cameron F Awesome, A Heavyweight from the United States. If he goes pro afterwards, Hopefully, he becomes an awesome heavyweight contender.
Glad to see Shakur was mentioned. Kid is gifted. HE will be making noise soon enough.
He's gonna be a great one. And he will have a lot of haters on this site.
I've totally blown watching the Pan Am games. The only bout I saw was Cam Awesome against a Canadian. Mr. Awesome squeaked a SD win.
Are they airing boxing right now?
I think it would be appropriate to bump this, since the Pan American games are on-going.
There are a few boxers that have caught my attention. Cuba is class like always. Toledo and Veitia are the best imo. Lazaro Alvarez kind of struggled today, but maybe he was rusty. Andy Cruz looked good. But I don't want to get attached to any Cuban fighter as they will probably never turn pro.
Joedison Teixeira looked real solid today. I can't wait to see how he does against Toledo. He fought Raul Curiel in a great fight. Curiel is a guy that will do great in the pros. He shows a lot of heart every time I see him. After loosing the first round he came back strong in the 2nd and 3rd. He'll probably be a fan favorite to the Mexican public if he turns pro.
But the Mexican fighter that has impressed me the most, since last year, has been Lindolfo Delgado. He fought Carlos Balderas of the USA about an hour ago and performed excellent. Delgado was in control from the start and countered Balderas nicely. Basically beat him at close and long range. Really impressed with this Mexican kid. Hopefully a good promoter gets him after the Olympics. I expect him to get to the finals and fight Alvarez. He's already faced Alvarez and gave him a good fight at the Central Caribbean Games last year. This is a kid to look out for.
The USA hasn't looked too good.
The only one that has stood out has been, Antonio Vargas who beat Jeyvier Cintron and quite impressively. He's really young as well.
Eventually the Cubans will go pro. I don't think the Embargo is fully lifted yet. Once promoters start traveling to Cuba, these fighters will come.
I think it would be appropriate to bump this, since the Pan American games are on-going.
There are a few boxers that have caught my attention. Cuba is class like always. Toledo and Veitia are the best imo. Lazaro Alvarez kind of struggled today, but maybe he was rusty. Andy Cruz looked good. But I don't want to get attached to any Cuban fighter as they will probably never turn pro.
Joedison Teixeira looked real solid today. I can't wait to see how he does against Toledo. He fought Raul Curiel in a great fight. Curiel is a guy that will do great in the pros. He shows a lot of heart every time I see him. After loosing the first round he came back strong in the 2nd and 3rd. He'll probably be a fan favorite to the Mexican public if he turns pro.
But the Mexican fighter that has impressed me the most, since last year, has been Lindolfo Delgado. He fought Carlos Balderas of the USA about an hour ago and performed excellent. Delgado was in control from the start and countered Balderas nicely. Basically beat him at close and long range. Really impressed with this Mexican kid. Hopefully a good promoter gets him after the Olympics. I expect him to get to the finals and fight Alvarez. He's already faced Alvarez and gave him a good fight at the Central Caribbean Games last year. This is a kid to look out for.
The USA hasn't looked too good.
The only one that has stood out has been, Antonio Vargas who beat Jeyvier Cintron and quite impressively. He's really young as well.
Naoya Inoue is a prodigy, and he didn't even need the Olympics.
Yeah he wasn't even good to make it to the Olympics, he missed out lol. Just playing around, yeah Inoue is amazing in my opinion should have been fighter of the year last year. But I just want someone NEW to pop out onto the scene.
Man I was going over my typing and it's terrible, excuse me for that lol.
I know there isn't anyone as good as Lomachenko or Rigondeaux, but I was hoping there will be a young kid that shows up this year at the World Championships or next year in the Olympics and just impresses. If not we have next Olympic cycle. Who knows we may even get someone who is even better than both, we could dream.
I feel like most of the weight classes will be competitve this Olympics, but talent wise I don't think they are better than the 2012 Olympians.
We had Lomachenko, Artur Beterbiev, Oleksandr Usyk, Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Mekhontsev, Murata, Khytrov, Anthony Joshua, Errol Spence, Jose Ramirez, Oscar Valdez, Joseph Diaz Jr., Felix Verdejo.
That is a lot a great talent that converted into professional boxing. There is some really exciting boxers right now, but we don't even know if they are turning pro. I don't know I was more excited for the talent last Olympics tbh.
That's why I'm hoping we get a prodigy soon.
Naoya Inoue is a prodigy, and he didn't even need the Olympics.
Mexico is working hard to develop a successful amateur boxing program and prevent their young boxers from turning pro. We could have a new generation of Mexican boxers with the traditional Mexican style but more technically sound.
I personally don't see anyone as good as Lomachenko or Rigondeaux right now. Julio César La Cruz seems untouchable at times although he disappointed in London. But the general level has increased since 2012 in my opinion. The WSB has given countries such as Mexico, Venezuela, Morocco, etc. the chance to compete against some of the best boxers in the world, APB has signed a lot of amateurs who would have turned pro otherwise, and they are still eligible for the WC and the Olympic Games.
In many divisions - middleweight, bantamweight, welterweight - I can see 5 or 6 fighters capable of winning gold at the 2015 WC.
Man I was going over my typing and it's terrible, excuse me for that lol.
I know there isn't anyone as good as Lomachenko or Rigondeaux, but I was hoping there will be a young kid that shows up this year at the World Championships or next year in the Olympics and just impresses. If not we have next Olympic cycle. Who knows we may even get someone who is even better than both, we could dream.
I feel like most of the weight classes will be competitve this Olympics, but talent wise I don't think they are better than the 2012 Olympians.
We had Lomachenko, Artur Beterbiev, Oleksandr Usyk, Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Mekhontsev, Murata, Khytrov, Anthony Joshua, Errol Spence, Jose Ramirez, Oscar Valdez, Joseph Diaz Jr., Felix Verdejo.
That is a lot a great talent that converted into professional boxing. There is some really exciting boxers right now, but we don't even know if they are turning pro. I don't know I was more excited for the talent last Olympics tbh.
That's why I'm hoping we get a prodigy soon.
I wasn't aware that he signed a contract with AIBA, well that's a waste. AIBA is definitely against pro boxing, there is a lot of corruption in professional boxing though. But there is also corruption in the amateurs. But like you said it's just so much harder for these guys and their Boxing Federation does take care of them much better than countries in the Americas.
I don't think the talent for these Olympics are as high as they were in 2012. Many of talents at these Olympics will have question marks, will they even turn pro? I'm not that impressed with the top Americans right now, I remember some of them were even getting beat up in the WSB.
Yeah, I'm high on Curiel and Delgado and they will most likely turn pro. But who knows, maybe the reason they are amateurs is because they don't need the money.
I wonder when we will get another prodigy like Lomachenko or Rigondeaux. At the age of 20 win a gold medal and then comeback 4 years later and win another gold then turn pro. Something like that.
Maybe there will be a surprise talent at the W.C. this year or Olympics next year.
Mexico is working hard to develop a successful amateur boxing program and prevent their young boxers from turning pro. We could have a new generation of Mexican boxers with the traditional Mexican style but more technically sound.
I personally don't see anyone as good as Lomachenko or Rigondeaux right now. Julio César La Cruz seems untouchable at times although he disappointed in London. But the general level has increased since 2012 in my opinion. The WSB has given countries such as Mexico, Venezuela, Morocco, etc. the chance to compete against some of the best boxers in the world, APB has signed a lot of amateurs who would have turned pro otherwise, and they are still eligible for the WC and the Olympic Games.
In many divisions - middleweight, bantamweight, welterweight - I can see 5 or 6 fighters capable of winning gold at the 2015 WC.
Someone mentioned Shakur Stevenson Earlier, a lot of people are saying he is a boxing prodigy, Art-illery said in this thread that Shakur Stevenson reminded him of sugar ray leonard, Thats high praise, I hope that doesn't include Leonards chin because Leonards chin wasn't that great.
Shakur is a good fighter, personally I'm not that high on him. He is only 17 years old though, but has not competed at World Senior level. He won't even get to fight this year at World Championships because he just didn't participate at the qualifiers (US national team trials) last year. Even if he makes the Olympics next year, I don't see him getting a medal, let alone the Gold. I think he should stay amateur until the next Olympics, he will only be 22 years old. That way he will mature, gain experience and his chance of getting a Gold will increase.
But I want a real prodigy, someone like Rigo or Loma who were "godly" at even a young; they were both basically 19 when they first showed up to the scene. Rigo was 19 (turned 20 at the Finals during the Olympics) at the 2000 Olympics and Loma was 19 at the 2007 World Amateur Championships, where he won Silver (he could have won the Gold).
Shakur is really good, don't get me wrong, but I wouldn't put him at the level of a Rigo or Loma and definitely not Sugar Ray Leonard.
Maybe Cuba, Ukraine or Kazakhstan have some young fighter lurking somewhere. Hopefully we see a really great young talent these coming Olympics. Stevenson may prove me wrong and be that prodigy.
I wasn't aware that he signed a contract with AIBA, well that's a waste. AIBA is definitely against pro boxing, there is a lot of corruption in professional boxing though. But there is also corruption in the amateurs. But like you said it's just so much harder for these guys and their Boxing Federation does take care of them much better than countries in the Americas.
I don't think the talent for these Olympics are as high as they were in 2012. Many of talents at these Olympics will have question marks, will they even turn pro? I'm not that impressed with the top Americans right now, I remember some of them were even getting beat up in the WSB.
Yeah, I'm high on Curiel and Delgado and they will most likely turn pro. But who knows, maybe the reason they are amateurs is because they don't need the money.
I wonder when we will get another prodigy like Lomachenko or Rigondeaux. At the age of 20 win a gold medal and then comeback 4 years later and win another gold then turn pro. Something like that.
Maybe there will be a surprise talent at the W.C. this year or Olympics next year.
Someone mentioned Shakur Stevenson Earlier, a lot of people are saying he is a boxing prodigy, Art-illery said in this thread that Shakur Stevenson reminded him of sugar ray leonard, Thats high praise, I hope that doesn't include Leonards chin because Leonards chin wasn't that great.
We won't see him in the pro ranks anytime soon. He is already 27 and I think he has signed a long-term deal with the AIBA. Kazakh boxers, just as Cuban boxers but for different reasons, rarely turn pro. When they do, they have to leave their family, start a new life in a foreign country, and as you said, work harder than the others waiting for opportunities. It is too much of a gamble. Besides, their Boxing Federation has invested a lot of money in this sport and they have everything they need as amateurs. With the creation of AIBA Pro Boxing, we may see even less boxers from Eastern Europe and Central Asia turn pro in the future.
Conceicao and Delgado would be tough fights for Balderas for sure. The emergence of good Mexican amateur boxers has been a good surprise. Velasquez, Curiel and Delgado are all good fighters.
I wasn't aware that he signed a contract with AIBA, well that's a waste. AIBA is definitely against pro boxing, there is a lot of corruption in professional boxing though. But there is also corruption in the amateurs. But like you said it's just so much harder for these guys and their Boxing Federation does take care of them much better than countries in the Americas.
I don't think the talent for these Olympics are as high as they were in 2012. Many of talents at these Olympics will have question marks, will they even turn pro? I'm not that impressed with the top Americans right now, I remember some of them were even getting beat up in the WSB.
Yeah, I'm high on Curiel and Delgado and they will most likely turn pro. But who knows, maybe the reason they are amateurs is because they don't need the money.
I wonder when we will get another prodigy like Lomachenko or Rigondeaux. At the age of 20 win a gold medal and then comeback 4 years later and win another gold then turn pro. Something like that.
Maybe there will be a surprise talent at the W.C. this year or Olympics next year.
I don't think any of those 3 guys would beat Lazaro in the olympics without a BS Gift decision.
I was talking about them beating Carlos Balderas. Maybe my wording is off, I try to type hella fast lol.
Nobody beats Lazaro that's why I hope he could somehow turn pro. Alvarez vs Lomachenko in the pros would be great. We'll have to see how Alvarez does in the pros tho, he doesn't seem to sit down on his punches. I still like his style very much.
Artem should just turn pro, he's already what 26 or 27, well if he even wants to go pro. Imagine him vs Khytrov in the future. Two big punchers going at it. Petr is a little younger. I just wish these Eastern European and Asian fighters would turn pro. But it is difficult for them as they might not get any support, they will have to work harder than say an American, Mexican and Puerto Rican. Right now the talent is over in Europe and Asia imo..
We won't see him in the pro ranks anytime soon. He is already 27 and I think he has signed a long-term deal with the AIBA. Kazakh boxers, just as Cuban boxers but for different reasons, rarely turn pro. When they do, they have to leave their family, start a new life in a foreign country, and as you said, work harder than the others waiting for opportunities. It is too much of a gamble. Besides, their Boxing Federation has invested a lot of money in this sport and they have everything they need as amateurs. With the creation of AIBA Pro Boxing, we may see even less boxers from Eastern Europe and Central Asia turn pro in the future.
I would take Robson of Brazil over Balderas and Lindolfo Delgado of Mexico will have a good shot at beating Balderas. I'm not trying to sh*t on Balderas, I just haven't been too impressed, he has good movement and counter punches pretty well though. I think he'll have a decent career in the pros, but I feel like he wouldn't be anything great tbh..
Conceicao and Delgado would be tough fights for Balderas for sure. The emergence of good Mexican amateur boxers has been a good surprise. Velasquez, Curiel and Delgado are all good fighters.
Well let's see what happens this year at the World Championships. Isn't Khamukov Russian? So if he qualified for the Olympics already, where does that leave Artem? Maybe he'll go pro now, unless he can also qualify and have a box-off with Khamukov.
Well I'll give you that, Balderas has yet to compete at a major international championship. He will not medal at the W.C. tho, Jose Ramirez was way better than Balderas in my opinion and he couldn't do it (facing Loma early didn't help). He might medal at the Pan Am games but that's because there is only 10 boxers competing at them. But no way he beats Lazaro Alvarez or Robson Conceicao so at best he gets a Bronze, maybe a Silver if he could avoid Alvarez and Conceicao. I would also take Lindolfo Delgado of Mexico (who I thought gave Lazaro a great fight at the Central and Caribbean games last year). Jose Diaz of Venezuela and Jose Rosario of Puerto Rico may also be able to take him.
I don't think any of those 3 guys would beat Lazaro in the olympics without a BS Gift decision.
Ramirez was caught trying to escape Cuba to turn pro and was banned from boxing for a while. He's back in the team now I think as he had a fight in January.
That wasn't Robeisy Ramirez... That was Roniel Iglesias. Robeisy was banned from the team, but it was due to lack of coming to the exercises that the team had.
Russia will indeed have to choose between Chebotarev and Khamukov. Artem competes in AIBA Pro Boxing right now. I assume the scoring criteria is very different from amateur championships. Khamukov is the more polished fighter of the two and he seems to hit just as hard. His performance against Normatov a few weeks ago was superb.
I agree with you as far Balderas' chances to win a medal at the WC this year. The competition will be too fierce. However, outside of Lazaro Alvarez - who is probably the best lightweight in the world - he can beat anyone at the Panam Games.
Artem should just turn pro, he's already what 26 or 27, well if he even wants to go pro. Imagine him vs Khytrov in the future. Two big punchers going at it. Petr is a little younger. I just wish these Eastern European and Asian fighters would turn pro. But it is difficult for them as they might not get any support, they will have to work harder than say an American, Mexican and Puerto Rican. Right now the talent is over in Europe and Asia imo.
I would take Robson of Brazil over Balderas and Lindolfo Delgado of Mexico will have a good shot at beating Balderas. I'm not trying to sh*t on Balderas, I just haven't been too impressed, he has good movement and counter punches pretty well though. I think he'll have a decent career in the pros, but I feel like he wouldn't be anything great tbh.
Well let's see what happens this year at the World Championships. Isn't Khamukov Russian? So if he qualified for the Olympics already, where does that leave Artem? Maybe he'll go pro now, unless he can also qualify and have a box-off with Khamukov.
Well I'll give you that, Balderas has yet to compete at a major international championship. He will not medal at the W.C. tho, Jose Ramirez was way better than Balderas in my opinion and he couldn't do it (facing Loma early didn't help). He might medal at the Pan Am games but that's because there is only 10 boxers competing at them. But no way he beats Lazaro Alvarez or Robson Conceicao so at best he gets a Bronze, maybe a Silver if he could avoid Alvarez and Conceicao. I would also take Lindolfo Delgado of Mexico (who I thought gave Lazaro a great fight at the Central and Caribbean games last year). Jose Diaz of Venezuela and Jose Rosario of Puerto Rico may also be able to take him.
Russia will indeed have to choose between Chebotarev and Khamukov. Artem competes in AIBA Pro Boxing right now. I assume the scoring criteria is very different from amateur championships. Khamukov is the more polished fighter of the two and he seems to hit just as hard. His performance against Normatov a few weeks ago was superb.
I agree with you as far Balderas' chances to win a medal at the WC this year. The competition will be too fierce. However, outside of Lazaro Alvarez - who is probably the best lightweight in the world - he can beat anyone at the Panam Games.