Olympics should allow Pro boxers to compete

[Jambo boy]

I think the answer is, that all the other sports should be am. only. I don't know why anyone would want pro fighters to box at the olympics, that's crazy. It's effectively a different sport.

[Chayal Boded.]

???????????? Are you kidding me? Ever hear of Oscar De la Hoya? Who got 2 million people to pay $50 for a sparring match. That's not the only example. Sugar Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali, Pernell Whitaker, Meldrick Taylor. Not only are you looking at a P4P All-Time list, these guys are the biggest superstars of the sport

you missed my point. how many people do you think can name the gold medalists in boxing for this years olympics? they won't get any higher purses when they go pro.

[PunchDrunk]

you missed my point. how many people do you think can name the gold medalists in boxing for this years olympics? they won't get any higher purses when they go pro.

James DeGale will most certainly be earning much more money right off the bat, than he would have, if he'd lost in the first round. Edit: As a matter of fact, he's been offered 1 million £, which is more than 2 million $, to turn pro. How many non Olympic fighters get that kind of money to turn pro? http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olym...ng/7581630.stm

Amir Khan's silver medal made him as a fighter.

[Scary]

Good point, but imagine how many fights each boxer has to fight. In normal "pro" enviorments they ussualy take 4-6 months between each fight.

[Oriachim]

Good point, but imagine how many fights each boxer has to fight. In normal "pro" enviorments they ussualy take 4-6 months between each fight.

No that is only with the superstar boxers, look at most boxers, they usually have a fighter every month or two. (the journeymen boxers and the boxers who just started). At least Rciky Hatton did.

[NachoMan]

I think it's good that the Olympics is exclusively amateur. it provides a pinnacle and something truly worth winning to the amateur game. If there was no Olympics the amatuer sport would suffer badly and lead to far too many fighters going pro before learning their trade or simply discovering that they are not good enough.

I think being an Olympian is a good launchpad and shows you have the potential to go pro if you so wish. I disagree a gold doesn't get your name out there, DeGale is now in a position to make some money if he goes pro. Price could possibly be aswell.

What exactly does the Olympic sport have to do with the pros? Sure they both wear gloves and fight in a squared ring, but beyond that it's a completely different game due to the absurd scoring. I have little doubt that the number of solid fighters waiting around to complete in the Olympics will continue to dwindle until boxing at the Games becomes completely irrelevant. I have yet to hear from a hard-core boxing fan that they were entertained by Olympic boxing in Beijing. I am a boxing fan, but I would sincerely rather see MMA in the Olympics than boxing.

With regard to established pros participating: I suspect that very few would risk their reputations in a tournament that they could easily lose on the scorecards even as they dominated their opponent. Forget that Cuban Tae Kwon Do guy, imagine what Zab would do if he got ripped off. by the judges.