Eubank Jnr applied to represent team GB at Rio'16

[Anzi]

You think the AIBA would have worked it out with countries before announcing it, some of the big countries are not interested, plus it is too short notice, for most pros to be ready in time and only on qualifier in about 3 weeks, just a money making stunt.

[ElJefe]

Hope Team GB don't consider letting any pro's go. Just say they will not be selected to compete and kill the stupid idea before it goes anywhere.

Anyway, after seeing Billy Joe toy with Eubank for 7 or 8 rounds, I don't think Eubank would stand a chance of medalling at the Olympics.

Hopefully the whole British team gets eliminated by a bunch of pros.

That'll shut them up.

Why would you want lads who have been working hard towards the pinnacle of their sport for years to be beaten by pros who can decide to go for the Olympics a few months before it starts?

[Mimmy]

My view for what its worth is the olympics was always a games for amateur sports people. I think thats whefe it should end. However, times have changed golf has been introduced and those competitors are professionals so if its good for one sport then its good for all. Dont have any amateur sports people at all.

Boxing on the other hand could cause some bigger problems. Boxing is a hurt sport, cant get away from that fact.

But can you imagine a peak mike tyson for example who was undisputed heavyweight champion of tbe world competing in the olympics whilst holding every belt and facing a amateur from lets say India, an Indian amateur heaveyweight that has only taken part in lets say 20 amateur fights but has qualified for the games. Can you imagine what the media would say about that?

For me you cant put a fight on like this scenario there could or possibly would be a death in an olympic games within 8 years. How many boxers have died in pro boxing in the last 20 years in the ring? How many amateurs have died in tbe ring in an olympic games in the last 20 years?

[Stuarty]

Hope Team GB don't consider letting any pro's go. Just say they will not be selected to compete and kill the stupid idea before it goes anywhere.

Anyway, after seeing Billy Joe toy with Eubank for 7 or 8 rounds, I don't think Eubank would stand a chance of medalling at the Olympics.

Hopefully the whole British team gets eliminated by a bunch of pros.

That'll shut them up.

Stupid comment.

[Horse]

Stupid comment.

The Olympics should be for the best.

If Amateurs can only win if they are protected from the pros then they shouldn't be going to the Olympics.

[Stuarty]

Stupid comment.

The Olympics should be for the best.

If Amateurs can only win if they are protected from the pros then they shouldn't be going to the Olympics.

Another stupid comment.

[leejonesjnr]

Predicable Eubank publicity stunt of the week put to one side.....can someone explain to me what the hell this is all about?

I get the sense that the AIBA and the mysterious Dr. Wu are actually chipping away at the pro game from below and are no longer satisfied-content just to be the world governing body for the amateur game.

Is the Olympics (for example) part of a much wider strategy to drag more pros into the AIBA orbit? If you can open the doors to the pros at the Olympics then presumably they could box at the world and European championships as well.

I could be seeing a plot where there simply isn't one; but it seems as if the AIBA with the WSB and now the Olympics is on the march and moving into new areas.

That can't have been difficult to deduce - they have said exactly that. Wu wants to expand the AIBA to be THE governing body for all boxing. That's why they have dropped the word 'Amateur' (though for some reason, branding perhaps, have kept the initial).

[Horse]

Another stupid comment.

The amateurs are lame anyway they should all turn pro.

[Ricky_]

Hope Team GB don't consider letting any pro's go. Just say they will not be selected to compete and kill the stupid idea before it goes anywhere.

Anyway, after seeing Billy Joe toy with Eubank for 7 or 8 rounds, I don't think Eubank would stand a chance of medalling at the Olympics.

Hopefully the whole British team gets eliminated by a bunch of pros.

That'll shut them up.

That's the spirit!! #backourboys

[Stuarty]

Another stupid comment.

The amateurs are lame anyway they should all turn pro.

I'm not the biggest fan of the amateurs myself but I dont think pros should be allowed to compete against them in the Olympics. It's dangerous. I'd like to see amateurs turn pro a little earlier myself but it's a good set up they have a team GB if they're good enough to get involved. They are well looked after and I can see why some don't turn pro til later.

[Horse]

I'm not the biggest fan of the amateurs myself but I dont think pros should be allowed to compete against them in the Olympics. It's dangerous. I'd like to see amateurs turn pro a little earlier myself but it's a good set up they have a team GB if they're good enough to get involved. They are well looked after and I can see why some don't turn pro til later.

Why is it dangerous?

These are meant to be world class amateurs.

If they can't compete against pros under amateur rules then what have they been learning for all of those years?

[mickey1975]

Every podium squad boxer is at least as good as the top 5 I Britain.

[Mimmy]

I'm not the biggest fan of the amateurs myself but I dont think pros should be allowed to compete against them in the Olympics. It's dangerous. I'd like to see amateurs turn pro a little earlier myself but it's a good set up they have a team GB if they're good enough to get involved. They are well looked after and I can see why some don't turn pro til later.

Why is it dangerous?

These are meant to be world class amateurs.

If they can't compete against pros under amateur rules then what have they been learning for all of those years?

World class amateurs haha. Just because the US can put dream teams together does not mean Tonga for example can. They can qualify for the games too. As ive said horse in my above comment.i think you need to read that.

But of course im wrong you are right.

[Stuarty]

I'm not the biggest fan of the amateurs myself but I dont think pros should be allowed to compete against them in the Olympics. It's dangerous. I'd like to see amateurs turn pro a little earlier myself but it's a good set up they have a team GB if they're good enough to get involved. They are well looked after and I can see why some don't turn pro til later.

Why is it dangerous?

These are meant to be world class amateurs.

If they can't compete against pros under amateur rules then what have they been learning for all of those years?

They are world class amateurs competing against other amateurs. it isn't fair or safe to bring pros into the equation. Kovalev and Beterbiev were talking about turning out at the Olympics. Would you put a novice anywhere near them two guys?

It's hard enough trying to get the best pros to face off. Leave the Olympics for the amateurs.

[Horse]

They are world class amateurs competing against other amateurs. it isn't fair or safe to bring pros into the equation. Kovalev and Beterbiev were talking about turning out at the Olympics. Would you put a novice anywhere near them two guys?

It's hard enough trying to get the best pros to face off. Leave the Olympics for the amateurs.

Pros should not be better at amateur boxing than the best amateurs.

Novices should not be at the Olympics. How are these losers qualifying?

[Horse]

My view for what its worth is the olympics was always a games for amateur sports people. I think thats whefe it should end. However, times have changed golf has been introduced and those competitors are professionals so if its good for one sport then its good for all. Dont have any amateur sports people at all.

Boxing on the other hand could cause some bigger problems. Boxing is a hurt sport, cant get away from that fact.

But can you imagine a peak mike tyson for example who was undisputed heavyweight champion of tbe world competing in the olympics whilst holding every belt and facing a amateur from lets say India, an Indian amateur heaveyweight that has only taken part in lets say 20 amateur fights but has qualified for the games. Can you imagine what the media would say about that?

For me you cant put a fight on like this scenario there could or possibly would be a death in an olympic games within 8 years. How many boxers have died in pro boxing in the last 20 years in the ring? How many amateurs have died in tbe ring in an olympic games in the last 20 years?

So the Olympics should be for losers?

Great!

[Mimmy]

My view for what its worth is the olympics was always a games for amateur sports people. I think thats whefe it should end. However, times have changed golf has been introduced and those competitors are professionals so if its good for one sport then its good for all. Dont have any amateur sports people at all.

Boxing on the other hand could cause some bigger problems. Boxing is a hurt sport, cant get away from that fact.

But can you imagine a peak mike tyson for example who was undisputed heavyweight champion of tbe world competing in the olympics whilst holding every belt and facing a amateur from lets say India, an Indian amateur heaveyweight that has only taken part in lets say 20 amateur fights but has qualified for the games. Can you imagine what the media would say about that?

For me you cant put a fight on like this scenario there could or possibly would be a death in an olympic games within 8 years. How many boxers have died in pro boxing in the last 20 years in the ring? How many amateurs have died in tbe ring in an olympic games in the last 20 years?

So the Olympics should be for losers?

Great!

Whats to say a British pro team would win a medal?

[Horse]

Whats to say a British pro team would win a medal?

Why not have the pros compete against the amateurs and see who is better?

Why are they throwing their dummies out of their prams and refusing to work with the pros at all?

[Autobarn]

Have a feeling most pros won't be very good at the shorter fights, where you have to rush, start faster.

There is far less emphasis on the "mature" things that pros do when they develop, like body punching, blocking punches and so on. Indeed, pros spend a long time in development, ironing out what can be considered amateur mistakes. Then to go back to the amateurs, weird.

Might be some scoring controversies as well, as amateur and pro judges look for different things.

So it might not be so simple, that these pro fighters will just hammer the "non pro" amateurs.

[Loynesy]

Whats to say a British pro team would win a medal?

Why not have the pros compete against the amateurs and see who is better?

Why are they throwing their dummies out of their prams and refusing to work with the pros at all?

Horse: surely you are quasi-trolling here? Fowler has won his place fair and square. A new, ill thought out rules change shouldn't change that?

[Nightmare Roy]

I think it's a stupid idea pros in the Olympics.its like a semi pro football team suddenly getting promoted to the premiership ridiculous.

In what way?

As someone else said here the other day, it's like going to Uni, getting a good job and quitting to redo A levels. Pro boxers should not be in the Olympics, I hope any that get there fail.

[Bricks]

Anyway, after seeing Billy Joe toy with Eubank for 7 or 8 rounds.

i never saw that.for me jnr outboxed bjs for 6 rouunds

[coneye]

Point being its boxing but its different , and its not consistant , example a few years ago they seemed to change the way of scoring to suit the cubans got to the satge if you were not a 6 ft featherweight , with long arms , one jab and run , you could'nt score ,, body shots were a waste of time .. , things have changed a bit , but point is score a punch crisp and clear , and move , = 1 point ,, do it again another point , the top ameteurs would make eubank look stupid over 3 rounds .. turn pro and the same fighters may struggle to the slower, harder hitting pro's .

Personaly i would like to see Eubank go to the ameteurs and meet a top ameteur not a Tongan or similar but a top russian , or Cuban ameteur , in his first fight .. After he gets beat he might just stop with the shit ,,, But then again he would probably just come right back with ameteurs did'nt suit my style , thats why i want GGG next

[jamesmcdonnell]

How are our future guys supposed to progress if Pro's start taking their places at the Olympics?

A load of tosh! I hope team GB don't let any pro in, ever.

If they're not good enough then they shouldn't go.

If they have to compete against the pros then that might make them all work harder.

There needs to be a far longer transition period. The pros level of fitness will be so much higher. Theyll be able to go like the clappers over a short fight. Long term yes, but not like this.

[handsofstone]

Hopefully any pro who suffers defeat in the ams,stock plummets and they fall down the rankings,im more so thinking guys like Eubank Jr who are champs,hopefully the BBBC will make any British champion who competes or even tries to compete relinquish their title just as they would if they got a world title fight

Im dissapointed in fighters like Khan and Wlad who unnderstand the prestige about the Olympic boxing yet want to play a part in ruining that,ultimitely amateur boxing will suffer as why stay amateur when you can just turn pro and compete there anyway?

Then in 30 years time an Olympic Boxing Gold medal will hold about as much prestige as an Olympic Tennis Gold or a football gold

Hee Haw