Turning professional with out the big amateur pedigree

[Michael bennt]

What are your thoughts on this subject? I was just reading ibo world champion Ola afolabi had no amateur career and he is a top 4 in the world fighter, does it mean that much to have the big amateur pedigree? Can the long amateur carrer burn you out, I think Thomas stalker has left everything in the amateurs and will be lucky to win a English title he looks burnt out and stale. Thoughts

[polecateddy]

Cruiserweight is one of those funny weights where you seem to be able to get away with this more. Johnny Nelson was similar. I think in the lower weights the lack of skills find you out more.

[Boxing Prospect]

Current WBA Super Flyweight champion Kohei Kono reportedly had either 0 amateur bouts or 4 (going 2-2) O_O

[Anzi]

Scot Quigg world champion.

[Anzi]

It depends how long you stay in the Amateurs, too long is no good, you need time to adjust to the pros, change your style to suit, develop stamina for the longer rounds, learning to fight inside, body punch, tricks of the trade and handling the rough stuff, that they can't get away with in the Amateurs, if you turn over late about 27,28 or 29 there might not be enough time, but if you turn over at a younger age, then you have time to adjust, Heavyweights have more leeway on this. A fighter with no Amateur background can still do well, if he has the right training and sparring, plus a good attitude, but you can't beat experience,

[dbf]

Ola had a handful of amateur bouts for Battersea!

[forcefraser]

It's more about which styles are suited to the pro game. Some top amateurs have turned out to be terrible pro fighters.

Big Audley won a gold medal and lost to Rogan who drove a cab.

[bripez]

With these kind of questions you can always find examples that suit your own opinion.

eg. one person will quote Johnny Nelson who had a few amateur fights and lost most of them and effectively over-achieved as a pro.

Another person would quote Audley Harrison who as an Olympic Gold medallist did not achieve as much as you might expect (he won a Southern Are title, although it was re-named the European title just for him).

Generally speaking however, anybody looking to turn pro with ambition needs a decent amateur career behind them in my opinion. Not necessarily an Olympic medallist, but being an ABA champion (or at least in the top 2 or 3 in the country).

Sadly these days it also comes down to having an angle to sell (eg. Olympic medal and exposure) or the ability to sell tickets - even early on in their career - that will dictate what opportunities a boxer gets.

[reggaereggae]

Most Mexicans turn young so don't have an amateur career of note. Hopkins had few fights. Mundine had none I think. Tex Cobb had none I believe.

The great Freddie Flintoff had no amateur fights :-)

[palooka]

If you haven't had the experience of boxing in front of a crowd how do you know if you enjoy it, are able to do it and are good enough to get paid to do it?