Pro boxers in the Olympics....would they dominate??

[_original_]

It's not 12 rounds. We're talking about 3 or 4 rounds. A slow start and you lose. I'd love to see the pros in the Olympics because it would make the Olympic boxing even more interesting. I have a feeling that many of the pros will fail big time.

Yes, and the pros know that and would be looking for the kill from the opening bell since they won't worry about gassing or feel out rounds. Also, aren't they gonna remove the headgear this year? Terrible idea unless you want to see a lot of kids get hurt.

[bojangles1987]

Put it this way. Vasyl Lomachenko, arguably the best amateur fighter ever, struggled with a past prime Orlando Salido. Look at situations with Ward getting dropped by Boone, Kovalev fighting Boone to a draw, Khan getting washed by Prescott, Rigo struggling with Cordoba, etc. Etc.

There's a transition period for amateur fighters to develop into professionals.

Here, you're going to have polished professionals fighting undeveloped amateurs.

This is what I keep trying to stress whenever this comes up. Lomachenko's transition is about as quick as you could possibly hope for, and he couldn't handle a decent champion who was past his best. I like Salido, but he's not the kind of fighter who would bother with this.

What hope do these other amateurs have when the guy who transitioned quicker than anyone couldn't do it?

[Mr.MojoRisin']

There are some exceptions but you're talking about a couple of rounds compared to 12 rounds


Imagine the ferocity from GGG or Pac if they had to only fight 1/3 of the total time against someone with vastly less experience than them. There is no doubt a lot of talent in the upper tier of amateur boxing but they havent had 20 years to hone their craft and half of that with a world reknown trainer. And Beterbiev was a very good amateur from what I recall.

Theoretically a fighter who fights conservative over 12 rounds could be explosive and highly active over a couple. I don't think this turns out to be 100% true in reality because boxers train for 3 minutes with 1 minute rest at a certain tempo. Also, a boxer is used to that style of fighting whereas highly active amateurs would be a big jump.

I don't think pro boxers would be totally shut out of the amateur game, just not as dominating as some would think. A lot of amateurs could easily go 12 rounds just a lowered work rate. Would be interesting to see a pro get in with amateurs.

[Mr.MojoRisin']

Low-activity pros are usually low activity because of stamina issues over 12 rounds. They wouldn't have to worry about that in amateur style fights.

Beterbiev is still looking vulnerable against journeymen pros. Imagine how he would look against a top 10 fighter without any of the experience he has gained as a professional? He wouldn't know what to do. Throw Beterbiev coming out of the amateurs into the ring with someone like Kovalev or Stevenson and he would be destroyed.

That's the scenario we're talking about here.

If I remember right Beterbiev beat Kovalev twice in the amateurs. As far as the work rate goes, theoretically it is sound but in reality the body can't jump from producing a low work rate for 12 rounds to a high work rate for 3 rounds.

Now say a fighter like Pacquiao who has a high punch output would be great in the amateurs because. A fighter of that style isn't changing much. A fighter like Floyd Mayweather who throws one punch and has a slow punch output wouldn't do so good in the amateurs.

[ИATAS]

Where are all these pro fighters participating in the Olympics? Keep hearing how this is a horrible idea and yet I don't see any names. There isn't much of an incentive for a pro to participate. Maybe there will be a couple here and there, doing it out of pride alone or to correct a "wrong" from the past, but it's hardly going to change the landscape.

Besides, as I mentioned before, we already have old men fighting in the Olympics. They are essentially career amateurs. So when a poster says, "would you want your kid to fight Pacquiao?" Well do you want him to fight the 33 year old Cuban with a record of 400-10? Because there are a lot of those guys, not just Cuban but Russian, Ukrainian, etc etc etc. It's always been that way. And to be honest, I'd be more worried about the career amateurs who have been in the game for decades versus some past prime fighter who has no idea what's it like to participate in an international tournament.

This is what I keep trying to stress whenever this comes up. Lomachenko's transition is about as quick as you could possibly hope for, and he couldn't handle a decent champion who was past his best. I like Salido, but he's not the kind of fighter who would bother with this.

What hope do these other amateurs have when the guy who transitioned quicker than anyone couldn't do it?

Lomachenko also was in the "semi-pro" league for a bit, which is essentially like pro boxing (they get paid). Maybe he lost to Salido because he's an old vet with a style that bothered Loma plus he was a lot bigger (iirc he didn't make weight, rehydrated a lot).

[Raonic]

Put it this way. Vasyl Lomachenko, arguably the best amateur fighter ever, struggled with a past prime Orlando Salido. Look at situations with Ward getting dropped by Boone, Kovalev fighting Boone to a draw, Khan getting washed by Prescott, Rigo struggling with Cordoba, etc. Etc.

There's a transition period for amateur fighters to develop into professionals.

Here, you're going to have polished professionals fighting undeveloped amateurs.

But does Salido win against Lomachenko under Olympic rules?

[Eff Pandas]

Also, aren't they gonna remove the headgear this year? Terrible idea unless you want to see a lot of kids get hurt.

There are studies that suggest otherwise. Thats why AIBA has done away with headgear.

[Eff Pandas]

But does Salido win against Lomachenko under Olympic rules?

Nope. Loma woulda won by walkover since Salido was overweight.

Technically I believe Salido still wins the fight 2-1 if we go by the scorecards if it was a 3 rd fight, but then again who knows how differently the fight plays out if they both went in knowing it was a 3 rd fight.

[_original_]

There are studies that suggest otherwise. Thats why AIBA has done away with headgear.

Long term, perhaps, I meant getting hurt at the actual competitiom.

[elfag]

hopkins should try it, hes got a really good chance to win a gold medal, at 50