Tbf, 'any games since 2000' only actually covers one Olympics where boxers have had a chance to start a pro career in the meantime! And fighters like Ward, Dirrell, Gamboa are still on the up.
Agree with you there. 2004 Olympians who are atm prospects, contenders or titleholders: Alexeev Gamboa Ward Povetkin-due to fight for title Angulo Berto-belt holder Dirrell Pascal-due to fight for world title JuanMa Lopez-belt holder Andy Lee Balzsay-may fight for title Some decent pros have come from those games though only Gamboa, Ward and Povetkin were Gold medallists.(left out Solis and Khan from list)
Paul Appleby is still very raw but lots of potential. could go very far. But to me Craig Mcewan is by far our best prospect. Hes based in the US, trained by freddie roach and signed with goldenboy promotions.
id say kell brooke ul hear of in a few years defo hes from the same gym an tuition as naseem hamed so similar style at welterweight. featherweight akaash bhatia looks a great prospect. amir khan sumhow hel get a word title i think by beatin a weak or old champion as his chin wnt hold out against a young fresh hard hittin 1. i dnt think james degale will make noise world level he has that am style to much and he cant crack an egg ive sparred him an im a welter him and frankie gavin cant crack an egg. if only ian napa had power trust ud all love him in america he has that james toney style hes european bantamweight champ but only 1 ko in his carear outta like 20+ fights so world will b a big ask but if he cud punch just a little hed av bin world champ years ago.
Keep an eye out for 8 amateur's recently turned pro. Stephen Smith, he's 5(4)-0 I believe, he turned pro after missing out on the Olympics, fights at 126 if Im right, George Groves, again missed out on the Olympics, fights under Hayemaker Promotions, 1(1)-0 I think at 168. Michael Maguire fights at I think 122, I think he's 2(1)-0, again he missed out on the Olympics. Then there's the Olympic fighters James DeGale, gold medalist at MW and fighting at 168 I think, makes his pro debut in February sometime, Frankie Gavin, gold medalist at LW in the World Championships, missed out on the Olympics due to failing to make the weight, much the same as your own Gary Russell Jr did I believe. There's also Billy Joe Saunders, he fights at welterweight, he went home pretty early I think in the Olympics but he's a talented fighter. And then there's Tyson Fury, didn't go to the Olympics, made his pro debut on the Froch-Pascal card I think, stopping a journeyman cruiserweight in 1 at short-notice. I think Tony Jeffries has gone pro aswell, if not make that 7 amateurs to watch rather than 8.
Gamboa won gold in 2004. Zsolty Erdei got bronze in 2000. Ibragimov silver in 2000. Jermaine Taylor bronze in 2000. That's it I think.
I must admit I have been impressed with Brook in his last few outings, because he was treading water for quite a while. Saunders has a good pro style with the body punching and aggression.
It would be good to see what Khan actually has against an evenly matched opponent - preferably below the age of 30 and a career 135lb'er. Perhaps try winning the British and European titles, dump the Commonwealth and inter-alphabetty pieces of trash :good