Just My opinion

[squarering]

I feel that one way to help USA Boxing bring more kids to the sport and keeping them in it, is to put some focus on what the amateurs that have turned pro are doing and keep them on the radar for the amateurs to read about. Either in the quarterly paper of the website. I saw Julie at the Berto's fight and thought, why not let these kids see what can happen when you stay with something. The separation of Pro and amateur in general is ok but not if the pro came up through USA Boxing. If USA Boxing turns away from a top amateur/ turned pro, why would they expect the pros to support them in a way that could really help them. Comments?

[Dennis]

Hal - I agree with you. There are different rules between amateur and pro boxing. There are slightly different scoring systems in place.

The fact is many athletes start boxing in the amateur ranks with the HOPE of turning pro. It is the same thing with other sports. Many kids/young adults start playing baseball, basketball, football, etc with the DREAM of becoming a pro someday. The pros need the amateurs to gain experience. The more amateur boxers there are, the more pros there will be. The professional boxing promoters should "sponsor" tournaments, boxing clubs, and give scholarships. They will reap rewards in many ways. Some promoters do provide assistance to amateur boxing. World champs should give back to and they should be encouraged to do so. Amateur boxing should embrace the pro world and encourage the pros to help out and give back. Finally, when a pro does give back they should be recognized. I want to again recognize Floyd Mayweather, Jr. for his "giving back" to where he came from. He is from Grand Rapids and is giving back to the city. He came from the Michigan Golden Gloves Association boxing gym and fought in the Michigan Golden Gloves and the National Golden Gloves Tournaments. What did Floyd do to give back? He donated $140,000 to the MGGA in support of the NGG tournament it was hosting. He made sure the tournament would be a financial success. Kudos to Floyd!

[Canada]

I think young amatuers seeing Pros succeed will only want to turn pro quicker to reap the financial and "other" rewards that come along with it.

[boxmel]

Floyd is a rarity. Not even Oscar has done much, if anything, for amateur boxing. Evander and Vernon Forrest are in attendance at major events, i.e., the Olympic Trials. But, for the most part, once our guys turn pro they are off the radar screen. There are some who come back to the program as officials and coaches but, they, too, are a minority. Over the years I have watched USA Boxing try and court those who have turned pro and done well, as well as attempting to have a relationship with the promoters. Neither has worked out because there is no interest, or very little, from the pro side.

[JMac]

AIBA hopes to change that with the pro league they are talking about starting. If it goes as planned, maybe down the road, the old school promotors will be gone and hopefully the boxers will have some alegance to where they came from. Time will tell and AIBA will probably be putting more information out after the Olympics.

[boxmel]

Jim - I have about as much faith in an AIBA "pro league" as I do with the current pro promoters and sanctioning bodies. They'll just end up competing with the current sharks, which means the boxers will still have other choices.

[Dennis]

I think I agree with Mel on this one. AIBA has had lots of issues over the years so I don't think you will be replacing the "sharks" with a bunch of playful dolphins. It will just be a different breed of shark. I'm not sure if getting bit by a Tiger Shark is any better than getting bit by a Great White.

[squarering]

Although Prizefiight is not a huge promotor, they are instrumental in holding the title boxing tournament in Memphis. They also have a gym that is operated by someone that works exclusively with the kids and amateurs. These are NOT prizefight prospects, just kid that want to compete. It has seemed like there is almost a turning away from the amateurs when in the pro ranks. I wish everyone would just understand that this is a symbiotic relationship and the more it is cultivated the more successful both would be. Yes you are bound to have some boxers jump to pro early or too early but coaches that have anything on the ball will keep a boxer in the amateur ranks until he/she is ready. It's a 4 year cycle. Hey did you check out that big word I used "symbiotic". I learned it last week when studying STD's. I'm so proud of myself.