Amateur vs Professional - Does Skill in one Translate to the Other?

[Nekronicle]

The #1 Argument i've read here and elsewhere in defense of Donaire , in a hypothetical Donaire vs Rigo match , is that Rigo has not 'proven' himself and his professional resume is lacking..and his amateur skill should not be taken into account. To act as if amateur status should not be considered when rating a fighter is pure ignorance.

Now, Rigondeaux is the FIRST Cuban to win Two gold medals AND turn pro...There is only one other, László Papp, who won THREE gold medals in the Olympics, and was able to Turn pro, and the only thing stopping him was a Communist regime. He was undefeated as a Professional, and i believe would have been named along with the GREATS if he was able to fight without restriction.


I believe Amateur status doesnt necessarily mean you will succeed as a professional, but to completely disregard the extremely talented amateur fighters skill, and act as if a resume like Donaires outweights Rigo's proven skill as a boxer in the amateurs is pure ignorance.

I listed some of the BIGGEST names in Boxing, all of whom had excellent Amateur records and skill. Though this is not ultimate proof, and there are several fighters who won Gold (though not even on the same level of Rigos skill), who failed as a Pro [Nate Brooks, Steve McCroy, Ricardo Delgado, Andrew Maynard, etc], I believe this list is just additional evidence that Amateur skill should not be tossed aside.

Frankie Genaro - 1920 - Olympic Flyweight Gold - Turned pro - Won American Flyweight Titleand beat notible victories over Pancho Villa, Charley Rosenberg - Hall of Famer - 96 Victories (19 KO) - 26 Losses - 8 draws - 4 no Decisions

Fidel LaBarbara - 1924 - Olympic Flyweight Gold - Turned pro - Won American Flyweight title defeating Frankie Genarao - Notible victor of Kid Chocolate - 72 Victories (15 KO) - 15 Losses - 7 Draws

Terry Spinks - 1956 - Olympic Flyweight Gold - Turned Pro - Won British Featherweight Title - Record 45 Victories (13 KO) - 3 Losses - 1 Draw

Leo Randolph - 1976 - Olympic Flyweight Gold - Turned Pro - Won WBA Super Bantamweight Title defeating Ricardo Cardona - Lost next fight and retired

Yuriorkis Gamboa - 2004 Olympic Flyweight Gold - Tunred Pro --Friggin Gamboa...


Kennedy McKinney - 1988 Bantamweight Gold - Turned Pro - Won IBF Super Bantamweight Championship - 36 Victories (19KO) 6 Losses 1 Draw

Joel Casamayor - 1996 Bantamweight Gold [Among other accolades] - Turned Pro - Ya'll know Casamayor

Guillermo Rigondeaux - 2000 AND 2004 Bantamweight Gold - Turned Pro - To disregard his amateur skill is a travesty.



Ronnie Harris - 1968 Lightweight Gold - Turned Pro - Undefeated for 7 years, 35 Victories (14 KO) Lost 2

Pernell Whitaker - 1984 Lightweight Gold - Turned Pro - Ya'll know Sweet Pea

Oscar De La Hoya - 1992 Lightweight Gold - Turned Pro - Ya'll know ODLH



Sugar Ray Seales - 1972 Light Welterweight Gold - Turned Pro - Though he didnt fair well as a pro, he was a top Contender at the time..drawing with Hagler

Sugar Ray Leonard - 1976 Light Welterweight Gold - Turned Pro - Ya'll know Sugar Ray Leonard


Floyd Patterson - 1952 Middlweight Gold - Turned Pro - Ya'll know Floyd Patterson

Michael Spinks - 1976 Middleweight Gold - Turned Pro - Ya'll know Michael Spinks



Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) - 1960 Light Heavyweight Gold - .......

Leon Spinks - 1976 Light Heavyweight Gold - Turned Pro - Ya'll know Leon Spinks

Andre Ward - 2004 Light Heavyweight Gold - Turned Pro - Ya'll know SOG


Joe Frazier - 1964 Heavyweight Gold - Turned Pro - FRAIZER

George Foreman - 1968 Heavyweight Gold - Turned Pro - The Heywood Giant

Ray Mercer - 1988 Heavyweight Gold - Turned Pro - Merciless

NOTE: The poll is poorly woorded and doesnt really reflect what im trying to discuss, but polls seem to be popular recently

[ElBossHogg™]

Amateur career has no bearings on pro ranks. Sure it'll make you more popular and get you on the fast track for a belt but belts dont mean shit.

[Nekronicle]

Amateur career has no bearings on pro ranks. Sure it'll make you more popular and get you on the fast track for a belt but belts dont mean shit.

I don't mean rating a fighter for a specific Pro Ranks, i mean rating a fighter in regards to skill/talent/etc..as in I think Rigo will wipe the floor with Rigo, based on Donaire being one of the greatest Amateur fighters of all time, and his superior boxing skills compared to Donaire. a lot of people are arguing his Amateur status should not be considered at all.

[danceswithfire]

why do they call it amateurs

and why do they call it proffesionals

hmmn, tough one

[DeadLikeMe]

Of course it translates over. The only people who say it doesn't are trying to discredit Rigo because they're embarrassed Donaire is ducking him. Most of them know so little about boxing they don't even understand the extenuating circumstances regarding Cuban fighters.

[Nekronicle]

why do they call it amateurs

and why do they call it proffesionals

hmmn, tough one

Lol dude, i just posed a thorough and sound argument... better come up with some support for your opinion.

the only thing that significantly differentiates Amateurs and Professionals is how its scored...next year it'll be even more simliar when they get rid of head gear. Excellent skill in the Amateurs would most definitely translate to skill in the professionals, as proven by some of the biggest names in boxing.

[Nekronicle]

Of course it translates over. The only people who say it doesn't are trying to discredit Rigo because they're embarrassed Donaire is ducking him. Most of them know so little about boxing they don't even understand the extenuating circumstances regarding Cuban fighters.

WORD!

[baCCaT]

Much respect to fighters coming from the amateurs. it is the grass root level where talents are discovered and skills are honed. Pride and glory plays a big part of being in the amateurs.

its really not a bad thing when in a professional boxing discussion the fighters am career is overlooked or completely disregarded. why? the toys might be the same, but the playground is different.

like stated in the OP its not a guarantee that an illustrious am career will carry over in the pros.
can we apply the same pro boxing standards of discussion in the ams? about Money? Promoters? contracts? training regimen? what was the level of competition? what were the opponents resume? what were the factors that influenced the fight(or leading up to the fight). although it can all be done but with a lot more effort. it only adds more clutter to an already messy discussion.

[baCCaT]

Of course it translates over. The only people who say it doesn't are trying to discredit Rigo because they're embarrassed Donaire is ducking him. Most of them know so little about boxing they don't even understand the extenuating circumstances regarding Cuban fighters.

how can rigo be discredited when hes still in the process of immersing himself in proboxing?

[ElBossHogg™]

I don't mean rating a fighter for a specific Pro Ranks, i mean rating a fighter in regards to skill/talent/etc..as in I think Rigo will wipe the floor with Donaire, based on Donaire being one of the greatest Amateur fighters of all time, and his superior boxing skills compared to Donaire. a lot of people are arguing his Amateur status should not be considered at all.

amatuer you have head gear and huge gloves and the way they score fights is just plain dumb. in the pros no head gear smaller gloves and the scoring is based on more elements of boxing then just tag the other person.

So where one fighter can be great in the amateurs, he can still be very untested in the pros. It different on a case by case situation, look at taylor sucked in the amateurs compared to his olympic team counterparts but then he out performed them and thrived in the pros.