When Gary Russell TKOs Lomachenko will he be a superstar??

It's HIGHLY unlikely that they could've won a second gold medal, to win one you often need a lot of luck on your side and to peak at the right time against the best in the world. To stay on top and beat off a new wave of fighters takes someone truly exceptional. Listen to Roy Jones on the topic :yep
Fighters dedicate their whole lives to getting that medal, once they have a go at it they move onto something easier and more financially lucrative (the pro game).
Look at your boy Raushee, he stayed for 3 Olympic games as one of the US best prospects and he couldn't do ****.

 

Yeah...me and Raushee go way back.:roll:

So your saying that Ward and De La Hoya could wins golds when they were kids, but wouldnt have been able when they had matured and improved? ok.

The pros is easier? Really?
Despite the fact you have to fight men instead of a bunch of guys who for the most part are either under 23, or were never considered good enough for a promoter to offer them a contract. Sure.

90% of top class amateurs go pro in their early 20s. They dont waste half their career to win lumps of metal.

Like I said, the part of the world where boxing is most popular (Latin America) for the most part doesn't even bother with amateur boxing.

Salido, Canelo,Barrera, Morales etc etc. You think any of those guys gave 2 shits about fighting in an olympics when they were growing up?
And the US/UK boxers go pro at the earliest possible opportunity.

 

Who says Ward and DLH improved when they got older?

The pros are undoubtedly easier, you don't have to fight the best, you can take rounds off, you can get a title shot without earning it, you can win a title without fighting anyone, you fight once every few months, any garbageman can walk off the street and turn pro etc.

90% of top class amateurs over the years are from Cuba or the former Soviet Union, and had zero interest in turning pro. You're obviously from the US because you have that neighbourhood-narrow minded mentality focused on money. Top amateurs get given decent money and prestige by their nation, but winning that medal for their country in the sport they love is everything.

 

I already like GRJ and I'm a fan when he's against anyone other than Loma/Rigo/Gamboa. He's a disappointment so far and I don't have high hopes for him but I'll always enjoy watching him, a bit like Zab Judah. He won't be a star if he knocks Lomachenko out because Lomachenko hasn't made enough noise in the money nation yet, if Lomachenko had already been in some rap videos and on TMZ then maybe it would make GRJ a star. To boxing fans he'll be a star, but 95% of people on here aren't even boxing fans (including you). Just people who follow characters and characters they believe represent them in some way. Not many are actually fans of the sport.

 

Yes, like pretty much ALL athletes, they got better as they trained more and physically matured...OBVIOUSLY!

Over WHAT years exactly??? The Soviets were never dominant at amateur boxing. America were more successful.

Im from Ireland actually. Our boxers go pro at the earliest opportunity too. Jason Quigley, Tommy McCarthy and Nevin all going pro this year. In my opinion Nevin wasted too much time in the amateurs and should have gone pro earlier.

Spare me the nonsense about "pride of country" and that other BS. Cubans would all go pro when they were 19 too if they were allowed to. Nearly ALL amateurs go pro the very second some big promoter comes along with a sign on bonus. Boxers are individuals and they fight for themselves and their own glory.

You think Loma doesnt like money?. Why not go for a 3rd Shiny medal?

 

in all fairness USA has been doing really badly at amateur boxing for 10 years now

 

If he shows up in the ring, even when he loses, he'll still have made a great impression on the sport.

I just don't think he'll make the fight.
I'd love to see this fight, I just believe in my gut, that for reasons outside Lomachenkos control, GRJ will duck this fight.
I don't think he wants it. I think he knows he'll be KOd, and he'd rather continue crushing cans than actually step up.:think

 

I don't think so as Lomachenko has not proven anything in the professional level could be a start though

 

How has he never seen Shawshank Redemption is my question.

 

I got a gut feeling that if it's an argument over a single dollar, GRJ will weasel outta the fight.

Just hoping Bob and Oscar got a good backup plan for when GRJ bails.:-(