Should I turn amateur at 16? Any tips for me

[TMT Hassan]

So basically my coach advised me to go amateur and did it. I am 16 years old, I have sparred amateur guys a lot bigger than me and have often dominated the fight. I am just wandering how good do you need to be to be considered for an Olympic team? Or any other major amateur boxing event. It would be my dream to participate in that. My coach says I'm one of the best non amateurs he has, he says if I keep focused I can win some tournaments and even turn pro if I wanted to.
Has anyone more experienced got any advise for me. I don't have perfect 20/20 vision. I sometimes wear glasses. I can see my opponent perfectly in the ring but I would still like to wear contacts to sharpen my eyes, are contacts OK to wear in the ring?
Thanks lads

By the way I don't want to be a boxer professionally, my initial reason for entering the gym was to just train because I liked boxing. But I figured I should go amateur, is it worth it?

[Richard P]

Yes contacts are OK to wear in ring

If you are a proper carded AM you should start entering state or national recognised tournaments (unsure your nationality) unless your coach is from a recognised gym or has good contacts in industry, fighting a few club shows/interclubs local to you are not going to get you the exposure you want, yes they are good to get you experience however, proper carded tournaments will start you working up the AM rankings.

This would be your first focus in trying to work your way to an Olympic place. You are a good age to get your head down, focus and start to train hard in the discipline.

Their should be a website from Team USA, Team GB, England boxing or whoever to get reading and starting to point you in the right direction

Ray Corso, you are probs best to jump in here and help if you can????

[OctoberRed]

So basically my coach advised me to go amateur and did it. I am 16 years old, I have sparred amateur guys a lot bigger than me and have often dominated the fight. I am just wandering how good do you need to be to be considered for an Olympic team? Or any other major amateur boxing event. It would be my dream to participate in that. My coach says I'm one of the best non amateurs he has, he says if I keep focused I can win some tournaments and even turn pro if I wanted to.
Has anyone more experienced got any advise for me. I don't have perfect 20/20 vision. I sometimes wear glasses. I can see my opponent perfectly in the ring but I would still like to wear contacts to sharpen my eyes, are contacts OK to wear in the ring?
Thanks lads

By the way I don't want to be a boxer professionally, my initial reason for entering the gym was to just train because I liked boxing. But I figured I should go amateur, is it worth it?

It all depends on how far you want to test yourself against a higher level of competition in your city, other countries.

[stephenmc]

So basically my coach advised me to go amateur and did it. I am 16 years old, I have sparred amateur guys a lot bigger than me and have often dominated the fight. I am just wandering how good do you need to be to be considered for an Olympic team? Or any other major amateur boxing event. It would be my dream to participate in that. My coach says I'm one of the best non amateurs he has, he says if I keep focused I can win some tournaments and even turn pro if I wanted to.
Has anyone more experienced got any advise for me. I don't have perfect 20/20 vision. I sometimes wear glasses. I can see my opponent perfectly in the ring but I would still like to wear contacts to sharpen my eyes, are contacts OK to wear in the ring?
Thanks lads

By the way I don't want to be a boxer professionally, my initial reason for entering the gym was to just train because I liked boxing. But I figured I should go amateur, is it worth it?

I just had a fighter make the national team and he will be competing in European,world and junior Olympic places. But before I get to that.

First off with the contacts...You can wear them but I strongly advise against it for a number of reasons unless you can't see in the ring.
If you get punch it could cause you to lose a contact which takes away from your concentration.

If this happens in a fight, you will not be allowed to stop and recover your contact or anything like that. But most of all,if the contact is hit and folds in your eye,that would be both painful and cause you to possibly lose a fight. It's not against anything but I would highly recommend if you can see properly without them then leave them off.

100% go for it in the amateurs, you sound like you have the backing from your coach and good fundamentals put in place.
A national team spot is no easy feat. You will need very good experience against a number of different styles, and be able to beat them all.

What will happen is your coach will give you a few carded fights, more than likely on local tournaments and stuff like that.
You will be fighting as a youth or junior.
This might change depending where your from,but it more than likely follows the same lines to get into the national team.

First step. Local/area title, as in your hometown/county

Second. Province title,as in your state or something like that.

Third. Their will be 2 options opened to you. National championships (golden gloves for USA) a win here MIGHT secure you a national team place and will almost guarantee one if titles above have been won..A cadet championship or junior or whatever depending on your age. which is classed as a national competition but open to anyone.
Winning this along with the other titles will give the national team no choice but to pick you.

A national title is key to making the team, but winning area,province and other titles along the way will leave them with no choice but to pick you.

This is how my fighter has made the national team.

Good luck and I'm sure you will have many more posts

[TMT Hassan]

I just had a fighter make the national team and he will be competing in European,world and junior Olympic places. But before I get to that.

First off with the contacts...You can wear them but I strongly advise against it for a number of reasons unless you can't see in the ring.
If you get punch it could cause you to lose a contact which takes away from your concentration.

If this happens in a fight, you will not be allowed to stop and recover your contact or anything like that. But most of all,if the contact is hit and folds in your eye,that would be both painful and cause you to possibly lose a fight. It's not against anything but I would highly recommend if you can see properly without them then leave them off.

100% go for it in the amateurs, you sound like you have the backing from your coach and good fundamentals put in place.
A national team spot is no easy feat. You will need very good experience against a number of different styles, and be able to beat them all.

What will happen is your coach will give you a few carded fights, more than likely on local tournaments and stuff like that.
You will be fighting as a youth or junior.
This might change depending where your from,but it more than likely follows the same lines to get into the national team.

First step. Local/area title, as in your hometown/county

Second. Province title,as in your state or something like that.

Third. Their will be 2 options opened to you. National championships (golden gloves for USA) a win here MIGHT secure you a national team place and will almost guarantee one if titles above have been won..A cadet championship or junior or whatever depending on your age. which is classed as a national competition but open to anyone.
Winning this along with the other titles will give the national team no choice but to pick you.

A national title is key to making the team, but winning area,province and other titles along the way will leave them with no choice but to pick you.

This is how my fighter has made the national team.

Good luck and I'm sure you will have many more posts

Thank you.. thats some great advice, but the thing is i can see without contacts or glasses but in ring i would rather have a sharp 100% clear eye, i feel it would benefit me better. idk tho.