jamesmcdonnell wrote:Amateur boxing's major problem is that it doesn't really resemble the professional game at all. The paranoia about injury and the ridiculous olympic scoring system, means that is has become fencing with gloves on.
I see what you are saying and basically agree, but I think that it would only be the avid Boxing fan that would notice all the differences 'style wise' on a mixed show.
jamesmcdonnell wrote:Amateurs have to effectively re-learn the sport when they turn pro in many ways, as they are taught to go for single clean shots in the amateur sport, whereas in the pro game the crteria are completely different.?
Agreed.
jamesmcdonnell wrote:I cannot think of any other major sport where the amateur and professional codes are so different. Can anyone else?
THEBUTCH wrote:I don't agree. As an amateur boxer myself, I think the two codes should be split in terms of shows. Training and sparring yes. But not shows.
Apart from anything else why should the pros get paid and the amateurs get sod all for help filling a card up?
The ABAE may have many faults, but keeping the pros and amateurs apart from boxing on the same show is the best stand in giving the amateurs their own identity.
It will only create more pressure on the good amateurs to go pro.
I agree.
Promoters would use more amateurs to fill a show because it would be cheaper, this would make it harder for pro`s to find work.
And would the promoters make their tickets cheaper?
I can not see how it would help the amateur, training with the pro `s help, not just boxing on the same show.
Warren only wants to do it because Amir Khan has told him that he wants to stay amateur. FW then puts Amir on as an amateur still pulling the crowds in and making a profit.
No. Amateurs should just get TV coverage. they are certainly worthy of their own publicity, and every time I've been to an amateur show I've always seen quality bouts.
I would certainly guess that if there was an amateur show on BBC or ITV with Amir Khan taking part/headlining it, folk would tune in purely because they know him from the Olympic Games.
At this moment in time, Amir Khan is very famous and would receive massive coverage if he were to box either on an England show or a club show.
Picture this. Amir Khan's first bout since Athens. A Beeb/ITV promo would obviously have him on first, then several bouts more shown exactly the way that pro shows get shown.
Why not a mixture of a couple of bouts say, two from up North and two from a Southern show?
It can be done. It just needs the powers that be to take a leap of faith. No need for a pro am card.
