Men who turn pro at a late age

hopkins

 

Campbell starting at 24 is very impressive especially for the way he fights

 

There are a number of American Heavyweights that apparently turn pro late as their Basketball careers fail to pan out. Can't think of any names although there was a guy on Friday Night Fights that had done it a few months back. Clearly no success stories as yet though

 

Ron Lyle was 29 when he turned pro.

 

Lennox was 24/25 when he turned pro but was an experienced am.

Same with Rigondeaux, turned pro this year at the age of 29.

 

Dan how about matt skelton, he was 34/35 when he had his first pro fight. Prior to that he was a world champ kickboxer. To be fair he was a Euro champ so we cant knock him to much either...

 

John Davison turned pro a week before his 30th birthday and was upset in a vacant WBO 126lbs title shot to a journeyman by the name of Steve Robinson when aged 34.

Ray Mercer was another late starter although he did have an Olympic gold coming into the pro's. Sven Ottke, like Tarver, was another world class amateur, who was just short of his 30th when he made his debut.

Dennis Andries was anything between 25 and possibly 32 when he made his debut, no one is really sure!

 

dan you thinking of going pro

 

you replied well quick there

 

Ola Afolabi, no amatuer experience atall

 

martin Rogan

Paul sykes

 

he instantly sprung to mind. Was he really a world class amateur though? Pretty certain he didnt get out of the first (or second) round in the '96 Olympics.

He's one of the few fighters who made an amatuer style (punch & grab), highly effective in the pro's

 

Bronze medal in the 89 World Championships; 256-47-5 amateur record that saw him represent his country in three Olympics.

I would say he was a top 10 world amateur for a eight year period at Middleweight; thus it could be argued, he was a world class amateur.