I got this emailed to me the other day by a coach in USA Boxing about what would happen if an American won the WSB inaugural championship:
If an American wins the wsb he must declare his weight, one up or one down. That weight class will not be used at the Usa olympic trials.. Where do that leave all the other guys at? So that means if (name removed) wins at 119 in the wsb and he picks 114 which he will, so that means that (name removed) and the others at 114 have to move up or down a weight class or be out of the olympic trials, that don't seem fair...
What are the thoughts of any amateur boxing fans out there?
I think USA Boxing and/or the WSB is probably in for several law suits. See the complete wording of the qualifying process on the Olympic qualifying thread or read the entire document on the USA Boxing web site.
Usa boxing is doing all the wrong things at the wrong time this Wsb stuff is going to hurt our boxers in the USA.
The WSB should of had a team of their own at the olympic games just add it as another country, ' and please people don't respond saying that they can't do that cause AIBA can do what ever they want and have proved that by allowing pro's to box amateur. Mel is right about the law suit that might and will come, I know for a fact that the person who sent you that email is very ready to file his law suit, like stated in the rule book ' no boxer should be denied the rights to compete' with that said I must ask. Do people really think USA will do good in the WSB? For goodness sake USA don't even do good in international duels. I think AIBA is doing what ever they can to bring light to the sport but in the wrong way. Good luck everyone and may God bless us all!
If this is indeed true than my thought is "what's the point?". If, and I mean it is a big if, boxers from the USA actually win the WSB and are granted the right to compete a weight up or down from where they won what is the point for a lot of these boxers in the USA competing for in the next few months of 2011 with the State championships, State Golden Gloves and moving on to the Nationals for each. These kids could potentially be champions in all qualifying events and than get to the national trails and be told that you can't compete at this for weight for the US Trials but this other weight is available for you? What is really going to keep these kids frm turning pro if the reason they waited to turn pro isn't available?
Call me a traitor but I will cheer for the US boxers in the WSB in hopes of a good showing but I do not want any of them to win if it takes away from others who are pretty much busting their humps trying to compete in National Tourneys just to get a berth at the trials.
A few thoughts:
a- while I agree that it's not fair for a WSB boxer to take the spot of a USAB on the olympic team, I sort of believe that this particular outcome is not likely
b- I don't have any faith in the long term success of the WSB. It's an attempt to take amateur boxing into the pro realm. I think of it as 'semi pro', like arena football. Here's the thing -- as far as I can tell, outside of the amateur world, most pro boxing fans (myself included), have zero interest in the WSB. So, I could see it peter out in a year or two. Considering the trouble they've had getting and maintaining stable franchises before things even start, I'm skeptical of it's viability.
So my take is, it's not worth worrying about. I'm assuming it will resolve itself as a non-issue soon enough.
