And fighting a load of bums for a few years before title fights? Amateur opponents on the world stage are miles, miles better. There's no headgear/point scoring in AMS now too. Why not stay amateur longer for Medals?
All respect to amateur boxing, but it's like comparing flag football to the real game. 3 rounds, two minutes apiece. Huge foam gloves. The scoring system focuses the fights to resemble a high-speed fencing match in many ways. You have Cubans and Eastern Europeans who have absolutely mastered this style. If a fighter does not possess world class hand and foot speed, and therefore is unlikely to medal...he's vastly better of turning pro, cashing fight night checks and signing bonuses. The training and (especially) sparring regimens are quite different. If you're not built to medal in the amateurs, but have all the assets of being a great world champion (Trindad, Pavlik, Vargas, list is endless) why spend anymore time in the amateurs than necessary?
AM's make very lil money Oylmpic Gold Medalist The .1% make 30k for Gold medal or very similar price range. Going Pro has more glory as well. AM's only use two oz higher in glove size.AM=10-12 oz gloves not that much of a difference there & it's debatable which is better for health.
Top amateurs make a decent salary in some countries, plus all their training expenses get covered and not every top amateur has promoters lined up offering them better money to turn pro.
It depends. If you're getting paid good money sure its good. If you're making peanuts you're just putting wear and tear on your body for nothing. I would not be happy if I was fighting a bum and broke my hand or messed my shoulder up.
I think the goal of every am boxer should be the olymics. If you go into the olympic trials and dont make the team turn pro. If you make the team you compete for your country and after the games you turn pro. forget all this go back for a second medal or competing in some other world championships after. You go pro asap after youve competed in the olympics or tried out.
Yes I agree,Lomochenko is a gold medalist but it’s not like we give him any extra credit for the next gold.
Most pros aren't REMOTELY good enough to be top amateurs, especially in countries with a deep pool of talented boxers.
guys with good amateur pedigree usually do good . the ones that dont do good usually just dont adapt. they continue to fight like its 3 rounds and throw the kitchen sink within 3 or 4 rds. then the other guy figures them out and then they get tired and there chin get cracked.