Filip Hrgovic to compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

Hearn’s not doing such a good job of Hrgovic wants to take part in the Olympics.

[Enlightened-One]

Professionals are allowed to compete in the Olympics for sports, such as football (soccer), golf and tennis.

Also, the amateur ranks in boxing is vastly different to the pros. Fighters like Hassan N'Dam didn’t do well when he entered the 2016 Olympics.

Has any professional fighter achieved success in any of the major amateur boxing tournaments?

From a safety perspective, I don’t think there’s any evidence that professionals have an unfair physical advantage over their amateur counterparts.

For sure, a professional may have previously knocked out an amateur at some point, but that’s inevitable. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that pros have an unfair advantage.

In my mind, it’s a risky move for Filip Hrgovic to compete in the amateurs, because he might fail to adapt and also needlessly suffer defeat, which will inevitably tarnish his reputation.

[Cent0089]

Professionals are allowed to compete in the Olympics for sports, such as football (soccer), golf and tennis.



Has any professional fighter achieved success in any of the major amateur boxing tournaments?

Matthieu Bauderloque won a bronze in Rio 2016

[Enlightened-One]

Professionals are allowed to compete in the Olympics for sports, such as football (soccer), golf and tennis.



Has any professional fighter achieved success in any of the major amateur boxing tournaments?

Matthieu Bauderloque won a bronze in Rio 2016

The same Mathieu Bauderlique that was simply a novice in the pro ranks when he competed in the Olympics? The same guy who called a halt to his professional career in 2014 to return to the amateur ranks?

I don't think this guy was an established world-rated pro when when returned to the amateur ranks, unlike Filip Hrgovic.

"Professional boxers at Rio Olympics humbled by elite amateurs"

RIO DE JANEIRO -- So when the dust settled over the hype machine that welcomed the three infamous professional boxers to the Olympic Games it was all a bit flat inside the venue.

The trio of mercenaries that jumped at the opportunity to fight for their country at the Olympics were an odd threesome and their arrival, like their predicted early departure, barely registered here in the boxing hall at Riocentro.

The Cameroonian Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam, who held a version of the world middleweight title in 2012, had gained over a stone to compete at light-heavyweight and he fought like he had twelve rounds and not just three to complete his work. He looked a bit sad in the end, frustrated and confused.

N'Jikam actually boxed at the 2004 Olympics but in Rio he was simply not busy enough and lost easily to Brazil's Michel Borges on the opening day. N'Jikam had taken part in a professional fight in France just eight days before his exit from the Olympics and that was an error in preparation and an insult to the boxers that had travelled out to Brazil three or four weeks earlier to acclimatise.

The Italian professional featherweight champion Carmine Tommasone, unbeaten in 15 as a professional, scraped through an opening bout and then hit fresh air for three rounds as he chased the Cuban Lazaro Alvarez, the favourite for gold. It proved that the best Cuban amateur is better than the best Italian professional and that was not a shock, it was just inevitable. The Cubans are, for all intents and purposes, professional boxers without the glamour and cash.

The last of the trio to lose was Thailand's Amnat Ruenroeng and he was the one with the highest profile, the one that abused the system the most. Ruenroeng took outrageous advantage of the decision by the Olympic sport's governing body to allow all and any professional boxer access to the gold hunt.

Just 42 days after losing his world flyweight title by stoppage, Ruenroeng qualified for the Olympics but was forced to jump up in weight from flyweight to lightweight, an increase in excess of 25 pounds and six professional weight divisions. They are questions about his medical eligibility and there should be questions asked about his jump up in weight.

Ruenroeng, 36, actually fought at the Olympics in 2008 and won his return to the Olympic ring on Sunday, but was brutally manhandled by the slick Frenchman Sofiane Oumiha and stopped on Tuesday. The Thai fighter looked like an old, small man and his exit will surely make AIBA, the sport's governing body, look closely at the way they select professionals in the future.

The three high-profile professionals were not an embarrassment but they added absolutely nothing to the event and denied young amateurs a chance to compete at the Olympics during the qualification event in July in Venezuela. Perhaps before the Tokyo Games all the professionals of all ages, shapes and sizes should have their own qualification event with just the winner reaching the Olympics.

Now that the three known professionals have lost it is down to the unknown professional, Mathieu Bauderlique, to push on and get close to a medal. Bauderlique, a French fighter, is unbeaten in 10 as a professional, and is a veteran of the APB, a tournament where boxers compete without vests and over six, eight, ten and twelve rounds. Bauderlique is the APB champion and that gained him access to the Olympics, where I expect him to meet the great Cuban Julio Cesar La Cruz in the semifinal.

Nobody in Rio will miss or mourn the departure of Ruenroeng, N'Jikam and Tommasone, but it is very likely that they will remember Bauderlique. The Frenchman could be the ideal fighter and perhaps hungrier, younger and more exciting professionals can be blended with the state-run professional amateurs from Cuba, Kazakhstan, Russia and Uzbekistan in the future.

[Boxing Prospect]

Professionals are allowed to compete in the Olympics for sports, such as football (soccer), golf and tennis.

Also, the amateur ranks in boxing is vastly different to the pros. Fighters like Hassan N'Dam didn’t do well when he entered the 2016 Olympics.

Has any professional fighter achieved success in any of the major amateur boxing tournaments?

Quite a few!
Chagaev was the first
Zoirov
Jalolov (the biggest example I guess)

All won World Championship Gold

Amit Panghal I BELIEVE fought once as a pro (Vs Knockout CP Freshmart no less!)
Erdenebatyn Tsendbaatar won Bronze last year

[danconnollyeire]

Professionals are allowed to compete in the Olympics for sports, such as football (soccer), golf and tennis.

Also, the amateur ranks in boxing is vastly different to the pros. Fighters like Hassan N'Dam didn’t do well when he entered the 2016 Olympics.

Has any professional fighter achieved success in any of the major amateur boxing tournaments?

From a safety perspective, I don’t think there’s any evidence that professionals have an unfair physical advantage over their amateur counterparts.

For sure, a professional may have previously knocked out an amateur at some point, but that’s inevitable. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that pros have an unfair advantage.

In my mind, it’s a risky move for Filip Hrgovic to compete in the amateurs, because he might fail to adapt and also needlessly suffer defeat, which will inevitably tarnish his reputation.

Stupid comparison. If football (soccer) disallowed pros, you'd get absolute non-league (anything 5/6 leagues below the top league is still pro) which is ridiculous. Difference is boxing is that those amateurs are still elite

[Enlightened-One]

Professionals are allowed to compete in the Olympics for sports, such as football (soccer), golf and tennis.

Also, the amateur ranks in boxing is vastly different to the pros. Fighters like Hassan N'Dam didn’t do well when he entered the 2016 Olympics.

Has any professional fighter achieved success in any of the major amateur boxing tournaments?

Quite a few!
Chagaev was the first
Zoirov
Jalolov (the biggest example I guess)

All won World Championship Gold

Amit Panghal I BELIEVE fought once as a pro (Vs Knockout CP Freshmart no less!)
Erdenebatyn Tsendbaatar won Bronze last year

Thanks for the heads-up, but I’m not sure if your examples prove that professionals have an unfair advantage over their amateur counterparts, since all the names being mentioned were either novices in the pro ranks or totally unproven:

• Ruslan Chagaev (two fights)
• Shakhobidin Zoirov (three fights)
• Bakhodir Jalolov (six pro fights)
• Amit Panghal (one pro bout and lost it)
• Tsendbaatar Erdenebat (I can't find any details about him)

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with Filip Hrgovic competing in the Olympics, since world-rated professionals have never accomplished anything significant when returning to the amateur ranks.

Put it this way, an experienced amateur, who only had a few fights in the pro ranks, will easily adapt to competing in the Olympics.

A professional boxer who either has limited experience as an amateur or who hasn’t competed in the unpaid ranks for more than eight years or so, will probably be at a disadvantage if they entered the Olympics.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Professionals are allowed to compete in the Olympics for sports, such as football (soccer), golf and tennis.

Also, the amateur ranks in boxing is vastly different to the pros. Fighters like Hassan N'Dam didn’t do well when he entered the 2016 Olympics.

Has any professional fighter achieved success in any of the major amateur boxing tournaments?

From a safety perspective, I don’t think there’s any evidence that professionals have an unfair physical advantage over their amateur counterparts.

For sure, a professional may have previously knocked out an amateur at some point, but that’s inevitable. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that pros have an unfair advantage.

In my mind, it’s a risky move for Filip Hrgovic to compete in the amateurs, because he might fail to adapt and also needlessly suffer defeat, which will inevitably tarnish his reputation.

Stupid comparison. If football (soccer) disallowed pros, you'd get absolute non-league (anything 5/6 leagues below the top league is still pro) which is ridiculous. Difference is boxing is that those amateurs are still elite

Also!! It’s under 23’s ONLY! You can chose 3 players above 23 believe.

[Enlightened-One]

Professionals are allowed to compete in the Olympics for sports, such as football (soccer), golf and tennis.

Also, the amateur ranks in boxing is vastly different to the pros. Fighters like Hassan N'Dam didn’t do well when he entered the 2016 Olympics.

Has any professional fighter achieved success in any of the major amateur boxing tournaments?

From a safety perspective, I don’t think there’s any evidence that professionals have an unfair physical advantage over their amateur counterparts.

For sure, a professional may have previously knocked out an amateur at some point, but that’s inevitable. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that pros have an unfair advantage.

In my mind, it’s a risky move for Filip Hrgovic to compete in the amateurs, because he might fail to adapt and also needlessly suffer defeat, which will inevitably tarnish his reputation.

Stupid comparison. If football (soccer) disallowed pros, you'd get absolute non-league (anything 5/6 leagues below the top league is still pro) which is ridiculous.

Why is it a stupid comparison? And why cherry-pick football (soccer) only? What about golf and tennis?

I don't believe any established world-rated professional fighter has ever achieved success in any of the major amateur boxing tournaments when they made their return to the unpaid ranks.

And I don't believe that anyone can prove otherwise.

You’re seriously not trying to pretend my entire argument is flawed based solely on you attempting to find fault with a particular strand of hay that is part of a pretty big haystack?

[DrDuke]

It will be a waste of time for Hrgovic. Hopefully he abandons this idea, cause there're much more interesting bouts for him in the pros. He is on the track to become a contender. Bigger opportunities are in front of him. Why does he need amateur competitions?

[danconnollyeire]

Stupid comparison. If football (soccer) disallowed pros, you'd get absolute non-league (anything 5/6 leagues below the top league is still pro) which is ridiculous.

Why is it a stupid comparison? And why cherry-pick football (soccer) only? What about golf and tennis?

I don't believe any established world-rated professional fighter has ever achieved success in any of the major amateur boxing tournaments when they made their return to the unpaid ranks.

And I don't believe that anyone can prove otherwise.

You’re seriously not trying to pretend my entire argument is flawed based solely on you attempting to find fault with a particular strand of hay that is part of a pretty big haystack?

Elite golfers aren't punching younger non-elite golfers in the face

[Boxing Prospect]

Quite a few!
Chagaev was the first
Zoirov
Jalolov (the biggest example I guess)

All won World Championship Gold

Amit Panghal I BELIEVE fought once as a pro (Vs Knockout CP Freshmart no less!)
Erdenebatyn Tsendbaatar won Bronze last year

Thanks for the heads-up, but I’m not sure if your examples prove that professionals have an unfair advantage over their amateur counterparts, since all the names being mentioned were either novices in the pro ranks or totally unproven:

• Ruslan Chagaev (two fights)
• Shakhobidin Zoirov (three fights)
• Bakhodir Jalolov (six pro fights)
• Amit Panghal (one pro bout and lost it)
• Tsendbaatar Erdenebat (I can't find any details about him)

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with Filip Hrgovic competing in the Olympics, since world-rated professionals have never accomplished anything significant when returning to the amateur ranks.

Put it this way, an experienced amateur, who only had a few fights in the pro ranks, will easily adapt to competing in the Olympics.

A professional boxer who either has limited experience as an amateur or who hasn’t competed in the unpaid ranks for more than eight years or so, will probably be at a disadvantage if they entered the Olympics.

Your question was whether any achieved success, not whether they had an unfair advantage.

I actually agree with your overall point though, and think that pros going in to amateurs is fine. We've yet to see anyone (including Amnat Rueroeng, Katsunari Takayama - who failed to qualify for the Japanese nationals last year, Cai Zong Ju) prove otherwise.

I suspect that at super Heavyweight we might see the things swing more in favour of the pros who compete in "amateur style" tournaments (Jalolov in the 2020 Olympics for example), but as we go down the scales I suspect the advantages will be neutralised.

Afterall it was Jalolov's success that saw the WBC get their panties in a twist and threaten to ban all pros who compete in amateur tournaments from fighting for their titles and called Jalolov's win Vs Torrez "criminal"

[locoxelbox]

From 2010-2018 many pro boxers went to box in the WSB against the top amateurs and the vast majority lost and I´d say none of them made an impact in the competition.

In APB the pros had mixed success. Most of the top amateurs didn´t enter though.

China made an experiment in 2016 of matching 8 pro boxers against 8 APB boxers (who were still "amateur") and it ended with the APB boxers winning all 8 bouts. In the main event then APB world champion Lu Bin easily beat then WBC No 3 and former WBC world Champ Xiong Zhao Zhong by unan decision.

The case of former IBF Super Bantamweight champion Jhonatan "Momo" Romero is particularly interesting. After a long and succesful pro career Romero returns first to WSB and then to regular amateur tournaments where he fails to qualify for the 2017 World Championships losing to a relative novice at the time, then 20 year old Wanderley Oliveira, Brazil (who now is a World class boxer).

After 2 in-between pro bouts Romero fought in the Pan Am qualifiers reaching the semifinal only to lose to Cuban star Lazaro Alvarez. As a pro, Romero is 31-1.

If Hrgovic goes to the Olympics he would be favored for gold but he still has to beat top class boxers like Bakhodyr Jalolov (UZB), Frazer Clarke (ENG), Justis Huni (AUS), Kamshybek Kunkabayev (KAZ) and Dainier Pero (CUB).

In women´s boxing there are more top professional boxers who have fought in World Championships, etc and many are expected to try for the Olympics including several Mexican and Argentinian current and former World champions.

[morm]

not for me, he must looking forwart to become a Champ.... profi

Olimpics is for amaters , give the kids there chance....

[Ruthless-RKO]

not for me, he must looking forwart to become a Champ.... profi

Olimpics is for amaters , give the kids there chance....

Amateur isn’t just youngsters. You get some boxers that never ever turn pro and stay amateurs for 20 years.

[lillywhite14]

Surely there’s an opinion from someone who is more than Joe Joyce’s full time fluffer and part time towel boy?

[gregregegg]

I like Joyce but sam jones is a fuxking knob. What dose it have to do with him. Joe joyce was in the olympics in his 30s, with a Pro level team around him (great Brittan) and had fought for money on WBSS (witch is effectively pro).

If Olympics is going to be limited it should be by age, but its not so if he wants to fight he should. I can see why he wants too, he was harshly done by last time, and probly should of got gold or silver.

[pound per pound]

I guess he wants to win a gold medal in the Olympics after being robbed in the semi-finals vs. Yoka in 2016.

I have mixed feelings here. On the one hand, a professional fighter has no business being in an amatuer contest.

On the other hand, Olympic boxing is dying, and like the other sports who have professional names in it, could use the star power. Hrgovic would be doing this for free.

[Cent0089]

not for me, he must looking forwart to become a Champ.... profi

Olimpics is for amaters , give the kids there chance....

Kids have chance at youth olympics, junior championships and other events. Olympic boxing is a grown man sport, age of 20 or age of 35. If you have Anthony Joshua or Canelo Alvarez against you in Olympic you must handle that if you wanna succes. "Amateur" and "Professional" are confusing terms in sport of boxing. People automatically think "professsional" is someone better than amateur. Nothing is more far from truth in boxing. In my country, best fighters are amateurs, not a professionals.

[locoxelbox]

In the recent concluded Polish National Championships 63 fight pro veteran (58-4-1, 39 KO´s), Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, a former IBF and WBC World Champion lost in the Quarter-finals to 20-year old amateur Oskar Safarian by 4-0 decision.

Wlodarczyk rebounded a couple of days later in the pro ring, winning a 10 round decision against a 19-4-1 opponent.

It´s pretty clear the words "professional" and "amateur" don´t tell the whole story.

[margaret thatcher]

Ya, the pros haven't exactly being doing great have they. These cries seems kinda wimpy and not well thought out. We have seen multiple pro world title winners try their hand and how well have they done bois? Destroying all the opposition?

[locoxelbox]

In the same Polish Nationals Mateusz Masternak, 41-5 (28 KO´s) as a pro, won gold in the 91 kg winning four bouts and beating one other professional on his way to gold. Masternak has entered the Strandja tournament which starts today in Bulgaria where several of the world´s best amateurs are competing.

[locoxelbox]

WBSS participant, former Interim World title challenger and European Cruiserweight champion, etc Mateusz Masternak (41-5 with 28 KO´s) lost yesterday in the first round of the international Strandja tournament to French Olympian Paul Omba Biongolo by 3-2 split decision. I guess we can once and for all bury the idea that any experienced professional boxer will kill any top amateur in an amateur bout.