Comments Thread For: Bakhodir Jalolov Defeats Richard Torrez Jr. For Super Heavyweight Gold

[_Rexy_]

What's the difference between a 27 year old pro with 8 fights and a 30 something-year-old Cuban amateur with 300 some fights ? Why not just impose an age limit for Olympic boxing?

It's not like these are seasoned vet title holder pros. Also, it's not like the Olympics is all about amateur excellence anyway with stacked Dream Teams and the like...

One of the arguments you often see is that it's grown men beating up or bullying kids with Olympic dreams. The average age at Rio was like 25+ and you have guys like Julio La Cruz winning in their 30's.

there already is an age limit on olympic boxing. I don't have an issue with the pro thing this time because of Covid. International tournaments got cancelled, so a lot of these guys took pro fights to stay busy. That said, I'd like the pro thing to be done with now, and maybe lower that age limit a bit too.

[YoungManRumble]

there already is an age limit on olympic boxing. I don't have an issue with the pro thing this time because of Covid. International tournaments got cancelled, so a lot of these guys took pro fights to stay busy. That said, I'd like the pro thing to be done with now, and maybe lower that age limit a bit too.

Ah I didn't know there was an age limit. Were there other criteria for pros like they couldn't have won a world title or something along those lines? Or they could only have so many fights? I'm certainly not against barring pros from competing but I just wish there was consistency. There shouldn't be any professional athletes in the Olympics IMO but it's just been a big business for a long time now... and at certain levels, and with state sponsorship the line between pro and amateur can be pretty thin.

[_Rexy_]

Ah I didn't know there was an age limit. Were there other criteria for pros like they couldn't have won a world title or something along those lines? Or they could only have so many fights? I'm certainly not against barring pros from competing but I just wish there was consistency. There shouldn't be any professional athletes in the Olympics IMO but it's just been a big business for a long time now... and at certain levels, and with state sponsorship the line between pro and amateur can be pretty thin.

Yeah theres an age min and max. The max is 40 which I still think is too high lol. Minimum is 18, which kind of kills the "they're beating up kids" narrative. I have no idea the pro requirements TBH. I was 100% against any pro boxers in the olympics since it was announced before covid., and I only kind of relaxed my opinion due to the pandemic. Pandas and I were actually watching and there was a french womens fighter who was like 25-1 as a pro and has a world title. Lost in the opening rounds lol.

[ShoulderRoll]

Torrez Jr did well to get to the final and did his best, no shame in losing to a better man.

A silver medal is still something to be proud of.

This is the best performance by an American men's boxing team in quite a while. Great job and hopefully we can build on this for the next Olympics.

[Orion421]

I don't see anything wrong with pros of any sport competing, The games are meant to bring the best athletes from every country together to compete to see who's the "best" in the world. Why exclude anyone?

[Levity]

Most of the fighters in this Olympics with pro experience have only fought cans as pros, not like they have all this amazing elite experience vs top professionals. I think only 2 guys with pro experience won golds- Jalolov and a 3-0 Russian who is only 22 (so hardly a grown man fighting kids)..

[Albanianboxing]

Jalolov is a BEAST!!! I am pumped to see him in the Pro game!!!

[billeau2]

Torrez was definitely too small for a giant like this but he fought fiercely. Now jalolov can get back to pros and face a real challenge.

I think Torrez was in a situation where the rules, the short rounds, the duration of the bout were all to his disadvantage. In the pros, a fighter like torrez would be able to break a larger opponent down, have the benefit of being smaller & quicker down the stretch, etc. The kid really had his work cut out for him. Under the conditions he did a great job.

[billeau2]

Regardless though I was rooting for Torrez. He came out throwing bomb overhand lefts early and seemed like he rocked Jalalolv a couple of times in round 1. Point deduction seemed unfair with all the head pulling the Uzbek was doing and the standing 8 seemed unnecessary but whatever. It is what it is. It's not like Canadians did anything in Olympic Boxing this year but we had some pretty cool track and field wins. Decathlon gold was particularly cool to see.

Unfortunately given the restraints on the bout all any fighter can do is go hard early, take risks, and hope for the best. It really sucks for guys who are smaller because the pro game is all about breaking a bigger opponent down, taking a bigger guy in deep water and using activity later in the fight, etc. Torrez did what he could lol.

[billeau2]

there already is an age limit on olympic boxing. I don't have an issue with the pro thing this time because of Covid. International tournaments got cancelled, so a lot of these guys took pro fights to stay busy. That said, I'd like the pro thing to be done with now, and maybe lower that age limit a bit too.

Its sad. Institutions like fine colleges, the Olympics, etc become farm systems for professional athletes. When boxing became more international the olympics ultimately became a way to give prospects some work... hence allowing pro fighters, etc. I have not decidec exactly where I stand on this, though you and Young Man Rumble both make some excellent points.

Ultimately the question becomes: Do we want the olympics to be a way for boxing to suss out the best fighters in the world? Or should it exist on its own merits?