And the clear leaders in the 2010 Asian Games in boxing are...

China will keep their best boxers fighting in the amateurs in the same way as cuba.

 

How come lots of foreign countries have amateur standouts who don't go pro?:huh

 

And the government probably looks after them (financially) if they medal in the Olympics. This happens in China I think.

 

so they're good for life if they do good in the Olympics!?

 

One of the Thais who won the gold medal in the Olympics was supposedly given a million dollars by the King himself.

In Muay Thai boxing, I heard that an Iranian fighter got at least a few hundred thousand for winning a gold medal in the international games.

China probably would lowball its athletes but I know Zou Shiming, 2008 Olympic gold medalist, has been sponsored by some major companies.

 

whatabout mongolia and those central asian nations? They some tough barbaric-nomads..

 

Yeah they have some good solid guys. Chagaev and Ibragimhov lived up to that tough imagine even if they weren't spectacular to watch. They tend to land some decent medals. The Kazahks did well in the last Olympics if memory serves me right.

 

In some countries the government give Olympic medallists a really good pension. This is mainly in Asia I think, maybe Eastern Europe as well.

 

Kazakhstan like a lot of the ex-Soviet countries have a good amateur set-up. They're producing decent pros too - look at Golovkin and Shumenov.

 

It's known esp in todays boxing world, the Olympics are not the same anymore... It has lost it's popularity and support because it's very silly rules and judging. Many fighters just prefer to go straight to the pros. Many of those same amateurs that have won or place in medals will only reach a certain level of success in todays boxing world. And damn it's about time countries like India and China produce some fighters esp. when combine having almost 35% of the world's population

 

From what i hear, the leader in Kazahkstan is a huge fan of Muay thai and fighters are sponsored by the government. I'd imagine boxers would be as well. The last tournament i went to had a huge Kazahk team, as well as other huge teams from Ukraine and other Eastern Bloc countries.