Olympic Champs fail as Professionals

[lparm]

Yet another Olympic champion is easily disposed of today as Solis crumbled in germany. How many Olympic champs since the 76 games Leonard/Spinks' era have actually done anything worthwhile as professional boxers? I can only think of Lennox Lewis and Wlad since the 76 games that amounted to anything close to elite, I guess joto was fairly elite even though he lost to every prime elite fighter he fought but I'll add him too for name value. But seriously besides the ones I mentioned was the last time an Olympic champ actually proved to be better than the true elites as pro's?

Note: Olympic champion = Gold medalist only (for the slower members of nsb)

[AddiX]

A lot of Olympians did well as pros.

Just because your not a big name who defended your belt a ton of times doesn't mean your not "elite".

[Check]

They certainly don't do as well, that is for sure. A lot of fighters, especially Americans have passed up the Olympic games to go to the pros. I think it's a thing of the past. There is better training now and more talent that you can learn more in the pro ranks than the AM's. The Olympics seem like a thing of the past and the way they have changed the game up seems like Olympic boxing does not translate well to the pro game.

[Kevin Malone]

Totally. Look at Guillermo Rigondeaux completely flopping today by KO'ing Willie Casey in the 1st round.

[gamefrk]

oscar dela hoya
duh

[UL1210]

Totally. Look at Guillermo Rigondeaux completely flopping today by KO'ing Willie Casey in the 1st round.

end thread right here

[Slyboots]

Yeah, then there's that scrub Andre Ward. I mean, he only completely dominated Mikel Kessler.

[Check]

Totally. Look at Guillermo Rigondeaux completely flopping today by KO'ing Willie Casey in the 1st round.

Him and Ward are doing well but he does have a point. Back in the day if you won gold you usually stuck and did some really good things, like win the real championship of the world. Now there is 4-6 major belts and rarely do we see a gold medalist accomplish great things. I actually think Olympic boxing has hurt many boxers by the way they score a fight and drill a certain style of fighting into a fighters head. Look at Povetkin for example.

[ИATAS]

gamboa has been pretty much raping everyone he fights

[lparm]

Him and Ward are doing well but he does have a point. Back in the day if you won gold you usually stuck and did some really good things, like win the real championship of the world. Now there is 4-6 major belts and rarely do we see a gold medalist accomplish great things. I actually think Olympic boxing has hurt many boxers by the way they score a fight and drill a certain style of fighting into a fighters head. Look at Povetkin for example.

Someone mentioned Ward and that's a great example of a recent Olympic champ that has made it to the elite in his division. As for Rigondeaux I'm waiting until he gets past someone even more awesome than the awesome multiple time P4P king Willie "I'm Awesomest 4 Realz" Casey before I call him an elite.