Olympic alternate team

Hugo · Post by **Hugo** » 28 Aug 2007, 14:13

I take the runner up in each class is the alternate in the team, so are they going to be helping the team to get ready for the WC ? if so that means they would be missing the national PAL since they probably going to be in the training camp, Mel maybe you got the answer?

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 31 Aug 2007, 15:05

There are no alternates, Hugo. Some boxers will be invited to train at the OTC with the Olympic team, but there is no guarantee that the #2's will be there. I know Jeremy Bryan is planning on competing at the PAL this year and others will be turning pro, i.e., Keith Thurman.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 31 Aug 2007, 15:32

Hopefully, they get a few guys there to help out. If I was the one picking here would be my picks to help out the Olympic Team members:

106 - any of them will suffice. Yanez will have his learn the most from sparring against Warren.

112 - Yanez will help Warren as will Gary Russell. Get Marroquin to help out.

119 - Marroquin obviously.

125 - do you have to ask. Hylon Williams naturally.

132 - Miguel Gonzalez, Jerry Belmontes or Terrance Crawford would all be helpful. I know Crawford has had attitude problems so I would go with one of the other two.

141 - Jeremy Bryan - he is strong and could really push Molina to work hard.

152 - Thurman or Hatley. Heck bring them both into camp and charge a fee to watch them spar each other. If you ever see the two of them compete against each other, you will know why I say that.

165 - Porter. He has beaten Estrada twice. He is as strong as they come and really can put pressure on a guy. Then bring in Wade for some speed. Guerrero for a mixture and Jacobs for a stick-and-move look. Porter would force Estrada to learn to keep his cool.

178 - None of the guys. Have Downs go against Estrada and Porter and also the 201 and 201+ guys. If I had to bring in a 178# guy, I guess it would be Riley, except Downs has his number.

201 - Quantis Graves. He lost by 4 points and then 3 points. The closest bouts that Wilder has had in the last few months. I would also bring in Willett b/c he has some international experience and maybe Carey just because of his size. I would have Wilder spar with Downs until he landed too many big shots on Downs and then have Wilder spar with Hunter and any other 201+ guys brought into camp. Wilder could also spar with Riley that might be interesting too.

201+ - Wilson without a doubt, except Mike might not do it. If Wilson wouldn't do it, then Bethel. The army guys could help out especially if they are stationed in Colorado. I would also bring Nate James in because of his size. He could help out both Hunter and Wilder.

Now if you can't get these guys, then start looking at non-olympic trials boxers and even pros. I know that Mel has stated that amateurs can't spar with pros, but I don't see anything preventing it and all of the top amateurs do it. In most cases, it is the only quality sparring they can get.

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 31 Aug 2007, 15:35

Now if you can't get these guys, then start looking at non-olympic trials boxers and even pros. I know that Mel has stated that amateurs can't spar with pros, but I don't see anything preventing it and all of the top amateurs do it. In most cases, it is the only quality sparring they can get.

The USOC and our insurance company would NEVER allow that to happen. Ever.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 31 Aug 2007, 15:40

Why? Sparring is NOT competition. More boxers need to realize this and look at their sparrings sessions as a time to try new things, perfect others and reduce mistakes. You don't think that pros in other sports are training with the athletes to get them ready? I know boxing is a little unique.

ringsidemike · Post by **ringsidemike** » 01 Sep 2007, 14:29

1st question in this interview with Dan Campbell is how will the alternates be selected:

http://video.BS.com/filess/dcampbell.wmv

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 01 Sep 2007, 17:51

Mike, this is what I got when I tried to access the Dan Campbell interview you posted:

You don't have permission to access /filess/dcampbell.wmv on this server.

Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

naloleal · Post by **naloleal** » 02 Sep 2007, 13:33

would insurance cover the sparring if the pro boxers were registered as coaches? because then it would be actual training by another coach?

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 02 Sep 2007, 20:16

Nalo - please email me! I deleted your email about EMTs by mistake. The answer is - no, you can't use an EMT ringside or to perform physicals. Must have a MD or a DO.

Registering pro boxers as coaches doesn't make much sense. They would have to pay a registration fee - providing they even wanted to spar. Pro boxers wouldn't get much out of working with our amateur boxing team.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 02 Sep 2007, 23:06

boxmel wrote:Nalo - please email me! I deleted your email about EMTs by mistake. The answer is - no, you can't use an EMT ringside or to perform physicals. Must have a MD or a DO.

Registering pro boxers as coaches doesn't make much sense. They would have to pay a registration fee - providing they even wanted to spar. Pro boxers wouldn't get much out of working with our amateur boxing team.

Mel - that isn't true. Many amateurs are better work for the pros than a lot of other pros. The top amateurs have great skills, fast hands, good power, etc. They are usually lacking the abiltiy to go as many rounds, but that is about it. The amateurs many times beat up on the pros, unless you are talking the elite pro boxers, i.e. world champs and top 10 guys.

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 02 Sep 2007, 23:15

With very few exceptions, it is extremely easy to see who has been sparring with pros - they hold, they wait, and they drop their hands. Unless the pros they spar with are former amateurs, know Olympic-style boxing, and work with the am boxers, sparring with the pros doesn't do much good.

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 03 Sep 2007, 10:42

Again - there are no alternates as in "boxers who will take the place of." Usually the #2's are asked to help out with training the Olympic team members - they either do or they don't.

I don't think Jeremy Williams was even considered after he acted like a jerk at the 1992 Box-offs.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 04 Sep 2007, 00:27

boxmel wrote:With very few exceptions, it is extremely easy to see who has been sparring with pros - they hold, they wait, and they drop their hands. Unless the pros they spar with are former amateurs, know Olympic-style boxing, and work with the am boxers, sparring with the pros doesn't do much good.

Mel - sometimes pros are the only boxers good enough to give a top amateur decent sparring in their hometowns. I can tell you that Floyd Matweather would be great sparring for any top amateurs from 132 to 165 pounds.

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 04 Sep 2007, 09:12

Dennis, just making a point about amateurs who spar with pros. I don't disagree that sometimes that's all our top amateurs can get - or go after. And, somehow, I can't see PBF volunteering out of the goodness of his heart to spar with our amateurs. He could teach our boxers to run, however.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 04 Sep 2007, 13:21

PBF would do it to help himself as well. If he wanted to sharpen his reflexes for a fast opponent, the amateur boxers could help him out. Sparring usually benefits both parties.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 04 Sep 2007, 13:29

Pros really like sparring with amateurs since they don't have to pay any money like they do sometimes with other pros. Some amateurs get sent home from camp early b/c they give the pros to tough of a time. Even paid sparring partners ease up for fear of being sent home early from camp. Some champs rarely have that problems while others perform poorly in sparring and only step up their game in the actual bouts.

Athorn4941 · Post by **Athorn4941** » 06 Sep 2007, 15:25

I remember when I was boxing as an amateurs 10 years ago for boxing. The only time I had fair sparring was when I boxed against a pro that was there. He fought at 140 lbs.

The people that were closest to weight class in my gym were 165 lbs or more. Or I could box the up and coming kids that were young and about 80 lbs or less. So Either I was getting my head beat in or I wasn't allowed to box at my full strength cause I would hurt the little up and comers.

Now to me that doesn't sound to safe. I myself boxed at 106 to 112 when I did boxing. I ruined my back having to spar a heavyweight one day.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 07 Sep 2007, 08:43

Athorn4941 wrote:I remember when I was boxing as an amateurs 10 years ago for boxing. The only time I had fair sparring was when I boxed against a pro that was there. He fought at 140 lbs.

The people that were closest to weight class in my gym were 165 lbs or more. Or I could box the up and coming kids that were young and about 80 lbs or less. So Either I was getting my head beat in or I wasn't allowed to box at my full strength cause I would hurt the little up and comers.

Now to me that doesn't sound to safe. I myself boxed at 106 to 112 when I did boxing. I ruined my back having to spar a heavyweight one day.

And some pros will work with amateurs, meaning they will let them throw punches and not hit them too much. Less experienced amateurs many times do not know how to control themselves as much.

Boxing Fanatic · Post by **Boxing Fanatic** » 09 Sep 2007, 18:19

Hugo wrote:I take the runner up in each class is the alternate in the team, so are they going to be helping the team to get ready for the WC ? if so that means they would be missing the national PAL since they probably going to be in the training camp, Mel maybe you got the answer?

I am pretty sure that the 2nd's are not chosen yet, because many of them are turning pro. Kieth Thurman ( who is from my lbc is turning pro) so they are looking at people to do good in the pal and other tournie's before the olympics as well as bringing some people to the otc to see what they got.

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 09 Sep 2007, 23:36

Hugo, there aren't any Olympic alternates. I believe that some of the younger boxers, i.e., 17 year olds, will be brought up to the OTC to train with the Olympic team members. At least that's what Dan Campbell told me in Houston.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 10 Sep 2007, 14:35

Being an olympic alternate these days does not have the same meaning as it once did. You are there as a glorified sparring partner to help the team. With the current Olympic qualifying process of qualifying the individual boxer and not the weight class, the alternates are not as important. If they would qualify the weight class, then it would be much more important.

Olympic alternate team

Olympic alternate team

Re: Olympic alternate team