Ola Afolabi had no amateur experience and had his first pro fight at about 22 i believe. He could now win a world title after beating Maccarinelli.
Well, come on now. 50 fights don't exactly make a "storied" amateur career, and he obviously wasn't the fighter yet that he would go on to become. There are shades of green. He wasn't Reid against Trinidad green, but he was green.
Nate Campbell didn't even start as an amateur until he was 24. Turned pro when he was 28. Cristian Mijares had no amateur career.
Tarver had alot of amateur experience and fought Roy when he was real young. Then when he was in his teens he gave up boxing and got involved in drugs, then when he saw Roy at the olympics he started boxing again, or so the story goes. Martin Rogan is a good one, only put gloves on for the first time at 28, I believe Tony Thompson started around the same age.
he had over 50 fights, and regardless if he only had 50 after 10 amateur, fighter are matched up with stiff comp, 50 fighter is more then enough to season a fighter.
A better argument when looking at this matchup is that neither one was very experienced yet as a pro. Wasn't it the first world title fight for them both? Roy didn't beat a very seasoned Hopkins, and Hopkins didn't lose to a very seasoned Jones.