Professional boxing has always been divided, to say the least.
From the number of governing bodies and weight divisions, to the promotions, carriers, and sponsorships that come with it, boxing has fragmented itself into too many pieces. However, one thing has always been a certainty: the fine line between being an amateur boxer and a professional boxer.
Amateur boxing is one of the highlights of the Olympics. Moreover, in some cases, it has been the springboard for some of the all-time greats to transition to the professional ranks.
Legends Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Evander Holyfield, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. all proudly won an Olympic Gold which jumpstarted their glorious runs to the World Championship. But once you step onto the professional ranks, you can never go back and compete in amateur boxing.
That fine line though is set to be broken as the Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur, the governing body for amateur boxing, is proposing that professional boxers be allowed to compete in Olympic-style boxing. In addition, it might happen at this year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“We want the best boxers to come to the Olympic Games. It is AIBA’s 70th birthday and we want something to change – not after four years, but now,” AIBA president Dr Ching-Kuo Wu stated. “It is an IOC policy to have the best athletes in the Games and of the international federations, AIBA is probably the only one without professional athletes in the Olympics.”
The NBA has always sent over their marquee stars to compete in basketball, while football players like Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, Argentina’s Lionel Messi, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic for Sweden have been captain for their respective national teams. So why not in boxing as well?
Eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao has also toyed with the idea of making his Olympic debut as well to represent the Philippines. “I’m not saying I’m going to fight or saying I’m not,” Pacquiao said when pressed about the possibility of him competing in the 2016 Games. “I’m not closing the door. I’m thinking about it.”
“Professional Olympic boxers” was the talk of the night during the 16th Annual Elorde Boxing Awards last Tuesday held at the Grand Ballroom Sofitel Philippine Plaza, with mixed reaction.
When asked about this, the night’s honored guest was completely abhorred by the idea, as World Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaiman slammed the proposal.
“This is not like basketball or football where you score points,” Sulaiman told Tiebreaker Times. “Boxing is a combat sport and very dangerous. I hope this does not happen.”
The main difference between amateur and professional boxing is that the objective of Olympic-style boxers is to score more points by landing shots on the opponent’s target area. On the other hand, professional boxers are trained to knockout an opponent, as more knockouts lead to higher personal exposure.
Sulaiman added that the proposal can actually kill boxing as we know it. “(The proposal) is a lie. It’s attempting to kill the sport,” he stressed.
“Amateur boxing is one thing, professional boxing is another. Think of a professional athlete boxing a boy,” he added with complete disgust.
Sulaiman vowed to continue to fight this proposal as he deemed that the cons greatly outweigh the positives. “We will never stop combating that idea because it is irresponsible and it is dangerous,” he closed.
While AIBA is currently fast tracking their proposed plan, Sulaiman, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, and other influential boxing personalities are continuing their fight to halt this from happening.
