Rio 2016: Boxing is Being Disgraced by The Olympic Games Allowing Professional Fighters to Participate

By Jeffrey “Italian Medallion” Cellini

The Summer Olympic Games are just around the corner, and for the first time in history, professional boxers are able to participate in these games. The argument has just begun on whether or not these fighters should be able to compete for medals at the international level. Are some professional fighters looking for an easy way to win a prize (Gold Medal) that they hope justifies their careers while, at the same time, compromising the integrity of the games?

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) decided earlier this year to allow professional boxers to compete for an Olympic berth. Former IBF flyweight champion Amnat Ruenroeng (Thailand) and Hassan N’Dam ,a French-Cameroonian middleweight contender, are professional boxers attempting to win berths in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics during the final qualifying tournament.

Amnat Ruenroeng fought for Thailand at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, losing to Mongolia’s Purevdorjiin Serdamba in the quarterfinals; however his professional career did not begin until 2012 Ruenroeng, 17-1, 5 KO’s, won the vacant IBF Flyweight Championship back in January 2014, and successfully defended his title five times before losing his belt back in May. As a world champion, he was competing against the best fighters at his weight class, which included a unanimous decision over Chinese star Zou Shiming, a two-time Olympic gold medalist. Ruenroeng is a world class fighter and should focus on regaining his belt, not winning a medal at the Games.

Hassan N’Dam won his first 27 pro fights, mostly in France. He briefly held interim middleweight titles with the WBO and WBA, but Peter Quillin beat N’Dam by unanimous decision in October 2012 for the first loss of his career. N’Dam then was battered by Canada’s David Lemieux in June 2015 in a bout for the IBF middleweight title. Has N’Dam temporarily given up his hope of claiming a world title at this point of his career? Why else would he set his goal on winning a Gold Medal instead of pursuing a true world championship title?

Professional fighters have the opportunity to win world championships from four major organizations (WBA,WBC,IBF,WBO) and two minor organizations (WBF,IBA). If professional fighters want to fight the best in the world, there are opportunities available for them. The best fighters hold the world titles of these organizations; therefore, if a fighter wants to compete at the highest level, they should not leave the professional ranks, especially when the champions are not sacrificing their careers to participate at the amateur level, such as the Olympic Games.
Olympic Games are international sporting contests that give athletes the chance to represent their home countries against the best athletes from other countries around the world. Professional basketball and hockey players have over the last few decades participated in the Olympic Games. However, these particular athletes are playing in leagues and for franchises of cities, and are not representing their countries when they are performing during the regular season, especially when teams are mixed with national and international players. For instance, the N.B.A and the N.H.L have international players from all over the world playing their respective leagues, but these athletes are not playing for their own home countries, but for the respective owners of these American franchises.

It is unreasonable to think that the top fighters in the world would sacrifice their earning power by merely participating in an exhibition. Boxing in the Summer Games will never showcase the best in the sport; therefore, the integrity of the event will be compromised by advertising their fights as a contest between the best from different nations. Should world champions like Deontay Wilder (U.S.A) and Anthony Joshua (U.K) have a showdown at the Olympic Games rather than in Las Vegas where both men can make millions of dollars? Of course no world champion is going to jeopardize their reputation or earning potential by competing at the Summer Games. Therefore, the best talent will never be competing against each other in this forum. Fighters, like Ruenroeng, should not concentrate on winning a medal, but another world title, especially when they know the field is limited at the Games.

Olympic boxing should be for amateur fighters only. These bouts are only scheduled for three rounds for a reason. Younger developing fighters may not quite be prepared to take on the physical toll that exists at the professional level. That is why there is a difference in the number of rounds between the amateur and professional ranks. Furthermore, for younger fighters, international competition is their opportunity to gain national exposure and to sign lucrative contract offers with promotional groups.

Some countries, such as the United States and Great Britain, are not going to be represented by professional fighters. Therefore, the best fighters of these two countries will continue to pursue their careers while competing at the professional level and challenging for world titles. Ruenroeng and N’Dam would likely take an easier road than they did in their prior appearances because they would avoid the best talent and skilled fighters in their respective weight divisions.

Unfair advantages exist for professional fighters over their amateur counterparts. They may have more resources (corporate sponsorships) at their disposal than perhaps a younger fighter would who may rely solely on his national team for support. Ruenroeng could probably help inspire a younger generation of fighters in Thailand to compete in boxing; therefore, financial support may improve in their boxing programs, but does the former world champion have enough financial and managerial support of his own to give him a slight advantage over his competitors (if he participates)?

Professional fighters can represent any city, state or country that they want when they walk to the squared circle prior to facing their opponent. Numerous warriors have entered the ring waving the flags of their home countries, proudly displaying their national pride. Boxing fans will never forget how the legendary world champion Julio Cesar Chavez carried the country of Mexico on his shoulders each time he entered the ring. Nor will fight fans forget how Felix “Tito” Trinidad represented his homeland of Puerto Rico every time he stepped into the ring.
The International Boxing Association (AIBA) has made a terrible mistake by allowing the opportunity for professional fighters to compete in the Summer Games. The integrity of the contests would be compromised by matching amateurs against professionals. For two world class fighters like Ruenroeng and N’Dam, winning an Olympic medal against inferior competition should not feel personally satisfying.

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