What boxers turrned pro or are turning pro, this year?

[Hugo]

I was checking boxrec and they have Stan Martinuok schedule to turn pro, also in the New Mexico page they have Sammy Dipace turning pro this year if he does not make the team, is anybody else turning pro this year?

[Kolya]

I hear Jonte Willis is.

[ctill]

A few of the guys have been here in houston for a few weeks and Danny Jacobs,Sadaam Ali,Keith Thurman and a couple others have said that they are turning pro if they dont make the team.

[emile]

I'd like to see the 18-year-olds stick around, but what are you going to do? It just doesn't seem to make much sense to me to go pro that young - it mistimes your mental/experience peak since there is only so much pounding you can take. I think 22 is about an ideal age to go pro, so that you are hitting the top at 27-28. Depends on your weight, and the Mexicans seem to be able to do well going pro at 15, but I think a guy like Thurman would be so much better off waiting for 2012, where he would be a big favorite for the team and a medal contender - and have much more potential financial marketability as an Olympian. I suppose someone else could come up and beat him out then, like what happened to Dargan, but I'd least wait long enough to see how the landscape is setting up.

Then again, I read he quit high school to focus on boxing, so four years is a long time to wait without school or a decent job.

EDIT - Both Thurman and Sadam Ali are turning 20 next year, so they would be 24 at the next Olympics. Put's them kind of in between, so maybe they are better off going pro next year. DiPace only turns 19 at the very end of next year, but he is a bantamweight, so I guess he can make it work for him.

[Roberts J]

I agree. I'm 19 now and decided not to turn pro after a few offers. Especially at 201, and 201 + I have no rush, and I think other boxers shouldn't either. Just wait till your body is fully grown out at, 23 or 24.

[Kolya]

I agree. I'm 19 now and decided not to turn pro after a few offers. Especially at 201, and 201 + I have no rush, and I think other boxers shouldn't either. Just wait till your body is fully grown out at, 23 or 24.

Wow; you're only my age. I imagined you much older. Who knows, maybe if I get my act together and you stay amateur; we'll end up on the 2012 team together. But I hear you on that; especially for me, being so tall and not even fully at 165; I'm in no rush to turn pro; I'd like to let my body mature a bit.

[Onekrazyrican]

Luis Del Valle is evaluating his options and will probably turn pro later this year. Hes gotten some offers, hopefully he can land with the right promoter. A guy with his style can have a sucsessfull career if well guided. A dumb promoter might lead him the wrong way and end up having too many wars too early.

[emile]

There are tons of articles out now about all the various boxers competing, and pretty much all of them say they will be going pro, including Hylon Williams, who just turned 17. The only one I've seen where the fighter is apparently definitely staying amateur is Juan Leija.

Interestingly, Quantis Graves said he was going to start his pro career as a middleweight.

[Dennis]

I don't see how Q could box at 160#. 175 I could see and possibly even 168, but 160 is way too low. As I recall, he walks around in the low 190's.

Emile - did that come from Q's mouth? If it did, I am going to call him.

[emile]

Not a direct quote. Might have been a mistake by the reporter.

Although he fights amateurs at 201, Graves said that he would move down to the middleweight class (160 pounds) to begin his professional career and gradually move up in weight.

http://www.nola.com/sports/t-p/index.ss ... thispage=2

[Dennis]

Not a direct quote. Might have been a mistake by the reporter.

Although he fights amateurs at 201, Graves said that he would move down to the middleweight class (160 pounds) to begin his professional career and gradually move up in weight.

http://www.nola.com/sports/t-p/index.ss ... thispage=2

I sure hope that was a misquote. He is 6'2" and I could see him go down some, but that is too far. He is strong at 190 so why 160. Don't do it Q.

[Roberts J]

Im guessin alot of amatuers drop weight when they go pro When i go, I can imagine losing weight, I cant get lower then 188 now a days

[holeymoley99]

Andre Ward dropped down in weight classes and like Graves was small for his weight class in the amateurs to begin with.

[mich3102]

I can all but guarantee Wilder turns pro after the trials if he doesnt make the team.

[emile]

Wilder has the most potential upside of all the big fighters, even if he doesn't have the stamina or technique yet. People love big men, and a 6'7 heavy with a powerful right hand, is going to get people's attention - even if he makes it to China and loses his first fight.

I wonder how much better he can get? I'd guess he has never had a top level training and sparring, nor ever been able to devote himself fully to boxing, since he started late and was already working with a family. I don't know, what do those who have seen him box think? How good could he get?

Yeah, he'll go pro either way. I hope he finds a good manager. He seems like a good dude, and could be a really big star in a part of the country where boxing should be doing a lot better.

[boxmel]

Andre Ward dropped down in weight classes and like Graves was small for his weight class in the amateurs to begin with.

Andre was a natural 165 during his amateur career. He only moved up in weight so he didn't have to compete against his cousin, DonYil Livingston. As soon as he went pro he went back down in weight. He's here in Houston this week.

My honest feelings are that any of the boxers who would be 24 in 2012 should stick around. The comment has already been made that they will be more mature, as are the boxers from other countries.

Sammy DePace's dad told me this week that he is turning Sammy pro when he turns 18.

[mich3102]

You are right , he is a super nice guy. To be honest, I am not sure how he is doing this. As far as an upside, I am afraid we may be seeing it. He is mostly doing this by being an unorthodox tall intimidating fighter that does have big power in that right hand.
I have seen him dropped and hurt many times, so I am just not sure how much potential he has at the next level.
He will have to make some training and managerial decisions when he decides to make the jump.

[Dennis]

Andre Ward dropped down in weight classes and like Graves was small for his weight class in the amateurs to begin with.

Ward could have made 165 in the amateurs. He boxed in the 178 class, but from what I was told he usually weighed in at much less than 178 - like 170-173. That was with eating everyday and staying strong for multi-day tournaments. For the pros, he dried out to make middleweight (160#) for awhile, but his last few fights have been at 168. I think that is a better weight for him. That is only dropping 5-13 pounds from his amateur days versus Quantis dropping 30 pounds or so to make middleweight. That does not make sense.

[Dennis]

You are right , he is a super nice guy. To be honest, I am not sure how he is doing this. As far as an upside, I am afraid we may be seeing it. He is mostly doing this by being an unorthodox tall intimidating fighter that does have big power in that right hand.
I have seen him dropped and hurt many times, so I am just not sure how much potential he has at the next level.
He will have to make some training and managerial decisions when he decides to make the jump.

Deontay is a nice guy, as are many of the top amateurs. He is a legit 6'7" as I have stood right next to him and he is slightly taller than me and I'm 6'6.5". He also has a long wingspan. I'm not sure about his upside either. He is unorthodox which in some situations has helped him. He does carry some dynamite in the right hand, but a good boxer can avoid it. I see a lot of mistakes and he needs a lot of polishing to have a chance in the Olympics or at the next level. Yes, I too have seen him hurt and have wondered about his chin and heart. I have never seen him quit though. His stamina was very weak, but from what I have heard it is much improved now over what it had been.

[Dennis]

Andre Ward dropped down in weight classes and like Graves was small for his weight class in the amateurs to begin with.

Graves really isn't that small for his weight class. I don't think he could make 178 for the amateurs and be strong for multi-day tournaments. He might be able to make light-heavy as a pro and be strong. I would advise him against going to low or he will be weak and lose. Look he is doing very well at 201#'s in the amateurs so why change it too much for the pros. I think he would do well as a cruiserweight in the pros, but if he wants to start at light-heavy and then move up later that would be OK too. By the way Quantis is a great guy and I wish him well.

[emile]

You are right , he is a super nice guy. To be honest, I am not sure how he is doing this. As far as an upside, I am afraid we may be seeing it. He is mostly doing this by being an unorthodox tall intimidating fighter that does have big power in that right hand.
I have seen him dropped and hurt many times, so I am just not sure how much potential he has at the next level.
He will have to make some training and managerial decisions when he decides to make the jump.

Deontay is a nice guy, as are many of the top amateurs. He is a legit 6'7" as I have stood right next to him and he is slightly taller than me and I'm 6'6.5". He also has a long wingspan. I'm not sure about his upside either. He is unorthodox which in some situations has helped him. He does carry some dynamite in the right hand, but a good boxer can avoid it. I see a lot of mistakes and he needs a lot of polishing to have a chance in the Olympics or at the next level. Yes, I too have seen him hurt and have wondered about his chin and heart. I have never seen him quit though. His stamina was very weak, but from what I have heard it is much improved now over what it had been.

Well, a 6-7 heavyweight with some skills, power, and backing money can get to 25-0 as a pro. I hope that he makes some money and gets as far as his talent will take him, and doesn't get used like a kitchen sponge.

If all the winners so far in the brackets go on to win, I'd guess Marroquin, Estrada, and Wilder would be at the most risk of not making the Olympics at all. Hopefully his style will translate to the international game and he can intimidate some of the competitors with his size.

[Dancin' Dan]

I would expect a pretty good pro career out of Mike Wilson if he can stay serious. This past year he lost his National title with a failed drug test (marijuana). Runner up last Olympics, three time national champ, small but decent height. Busy good fighter. I wouldn't be surprised if he made the team either but who knows given he lost a extremely close one to Kimbo.[/i]

[Hugo]

I just notice in a proboxing web site that the same people that have the Peterson brothers just signed Mark Davis.

[mich3102]

yeah, I dont question deontay's heart as near as much as I question his chin. I have to say everytime I have seen him hurt, he has gotten off the canvas. I have just seen him hurt and wobbled entirely too much. I would have never guessed he would make it this far.
Also, for him to get a nice pro record, he will have to make some serious managerial/training decisions. He cant get away with doing the old fight the same guy 4 times type thing alot of these promoters in the south do with a fighter.
As for davis, yes he signed with prizefight. However, prizefight should be more mentioned with Judah's instead of Petersons. They have signed all 4 judahs.

[holeymoley99]

Is Deonte cutting any serious weight to make 201 ? For a 6'7 fighter to make this weight is quite rare. If he is that may be some reason why his stamina sometimes isnt up to par. His chin problems may be simply not seeing the punches that are hurting him due to his inexpierence. With more time and fights under his belt and with pro handlers helping him along he may be able to learn to see the punches.

If he makes the Olympics obvioulsy he will be a much hotter commodity then if he falls short. Theses trials and the qualifying tournament for the Olympics may truly shape his future pro career more then most anyone else in Houston.