Boxing Thread

[muppet]

Professional boxers allowed to compete in Rio. 84 of the 88 federations voted in favour of expanding it. I wonder if Ireland was one of the dissenters, I would have thought we should have been.

A qualifying tournament in Venezuela coming up with 26 places available in the Olympics across the various weights. Be very interesting to see how many pros put themselves forward. Although presumably they'll need to be nominated in the first instance by their local boxing body, so that might mean having to win a national amateur comp first to qualify for Venezuela.

Is the flip side of this vote that our amateurs will now be allowed to sign proper professional deals? I am aware of the semi-professional bouts they have recently started, but surely this would go a lot further?

[BennyHarp]

It's a bit sad really that the pros will be allowed into the Olympics. I always viewed an Olympic gold medal as the pinnacle of the sport - in this case the pinnacle of an amateur boxers career. A chance to call themselves the best at what they do in the world. This will all be watered down if and when (if the sponsors want) the professionals jump on board. An Olympic gold will make you the best of the handful or so pros that decide that they can get a bit of exposure from entering the games - hardly the prestigious title it is today. It will no longer be the ultimate goal for an amateur boxer who will either turn pro quicker or just be put off as the money men take over. The olympics has always been the breeding ground for former world champions and one of my favourite events at the games, it'll be a bit depressing if this decision has a detrimental effect on that.

[STREET FIGHTER]

Who wins Bellew v Haye?

[Boycey]

Who wins Bellew v Haye?

Haye all day long

[nrico2006]

Bellew simply wants paid, probably make more from the Haye fight than he would fighting ten more nobodies. As for the Olympics, where has these extra spots came from or were they previously available?

[JimStynes]

I agree with Froch's view on things:

"I feel it's better being left to the amateurs," Froch, 38, told Press Association Sport. "I still sort of regret when I look back, not qualifying for the Olympics. (But) If I went to the Olympics now as a professional, it wouldn't feel right, wouldn't feel the same.

"I'm not sure any top professional, who's got a chance of becoming a champion, earning a lot of money, would want to join the amateurs. You're going to get the odd one, but any current pro, who's desperate to be a world champion, would they want to risk going to the Olympics for a three-round format?

"Overall, it's a bad move. It takes the prestige away from winning a gold medal in the Olympics. It doesn't feel right for me."

Among the reactions to the development have been concerns it would be a dangerous move to match relatively-inexperienced amateurs against proven professionals.

Before retiring, Froch continued to train with the GB amateur squad in Sheffield - where his one-time trainer Rob McCracken is performance director. He therefore experienced the finest amateurs' talent and how difficult it can be for a professional to adjust to the intense demands of three three-minute rounds, instead of the steadier up-to-12-round professional format.

"It's not (easy)," he said. "A lot of top world champions would get beaten by top amateurs. It's a simple as that: it's not long enough. How many times have I had a professional world championship defence, and I'm three or four rounds down before I've got started?

"A lot of top pros may not do well at the Olympics. I spar with Antony Fowler, who's just qualified for the Olympics, and for two or three rounds I literally don't get near him. I'll walk onto his right hand, and he can punch a bit.

"Perhaps round four I start to turn it around and get into it, and then the spar's over. Somebody like Fowler would probably beat me. I wouldn't want to take the risk, to be honest.

"I'm not so sure (somebody could get hurt) because it's three three-minute rounds. I don't think it's any more dangerous: there's no headguards anymore in the amateurs. I've trained and sparred with many top amateurs: honestly they hold their own, all of them.

"The amateurs are more suited to succeeding at the Olympics, and winning medals. I think Rob will probably stay loyal to the amateurs, and in my opinion that's the best decision. Why take a gamble on a pro?

"Who are you going to take? A professional boxer that's rough and tough, or an amateur boxer with bags of international amateur boxing experience, and (of) how to score on the scoring system, to impress the judges?"

[Captain Obvious]

Not sounding good for Muhammad Ali 

[JimStynes]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P5-PbANMNc

What a war!

[gallsman]

Watched this morning. It was incredible.

[gallsman]

Have just seen Enzo Maccarinelli get viciously knocked out for the umpteenth time. Stop giving this man a license please.

[bridgegael]

Have just seen Enzo Maccarinelli get viciously knocked out for the umpteenth time. Stop giving this man a license please.

You'd imagine that will be it for enzo.  Savage knockout there. His 8th time being beat by KO.  Time to let it go

[gallsman]

Have just seen Enzo Maccarinelli get viciously knocked out for the umpteenth time. Stop giving this man a license please.

You'd imagine that will be it for enzo.  Savage knockout there. His 8th time being beat by KO.  Time to let it go

You'd hope so but it's happened so many times before and he keeps coming back.

He had gone down to light heavy and seemed to be getting back on some sort of track but I saw this was for a cruiserweight belt.

[bridgegael]

Yeah he took the fight at 10days notice.  He has just tweeted that he has retired.

[The Iceman]

Yeah he took the fight at 10days notice.  He has just tweeted that he has retired.

glad to hear that - on the receiving end of another KO - he gave it a go - definitely time to call it a day and stay safe

[Atticus_Finch]

If anyone has ever considered doing a white collar fight as a challenge id, recommend it. There's a future event coming up in August with training being done out of Brian Magee's gym behind the ASDA on Kennedy Way. I'd be happy to put you in touch with the event organisers if anyone fancied it.

I had a white collar fight in the europa on saturday night there. I won it thankfully but trained hard for it for the past two months.  There were a couple of occasions I trained three times a day, went off the booze but it was well worth all the sacrifices. There's a great buzz on the night of it. Even though I'm a fan of boxing I'd be pretty useless at it. Your sister, even your mum would probably beat me in a boxing fight ! Training was tough but enjoyable. I even ended up sparring Martin Rogan on a couple of occasions (he was obviously going easy on me and doing his best to help me out) , given I'm a 11 stone dripping wet even if I could box that would always be a mismatch but it was definitely worthwhile in terms of not having any fear of sparring anyone after that.

I was raising funds for Cancer research which is a charity fairly close to my heart. To date sponsors have helped me raise nearly  £1300.

Massive thanks to board regular Milltown Row who not only had a few handy tips for me having done a white collar fight before but also was a massive help with my fundraising efforts.

MR - gentleman, thank you.