Members of the AIBA, amateur boxing’s international governing body, have voted to allow professional boxers to compete at the Olympic’s starting at this year’s Rio games.
The proposed amendment to the AIBA constitution was approved at a congress held in Lausanne, Switzerland on Wednesday, with 84 of 88 delegates voting in favour of the change.
Professional fighters hoping to qualify for the event will only have one chance to do so however, as the final qualification tournament takes place next month in Venezuela.
The boxing world has known for sometime that this was likely to happen, but the news of it’s official confirmation has been met with widespread revulsion by a majority within the sport.
Many expressed their disgust in the aftermath of the announcement via Twitter.
Gutted to hear about it being confirmed pro's can box in the Olympics. Absolutely ruins amateur boxing that in my opinion. Wrong 👎🏼
— Stephen Smith (@SwiftySmith) June 1, 2016
Professionals boxers allowed access to qualification tournament to box in Rio Olympics. Ridiculous move!!
— Eric Lilywhite Lightning Donovan (@eric_donovan60) June 1, 2016
Pro boxers in the olympics. What are AIBA thinking. Goodbye amateur boxing now as far as I'm concerned. Can't say I'm a fan of this.
— Ricky Hatton MBE (@HitmanHatton) June 1, 2016
Pro boxers in the Olympics only relevant to countries where their governments will effectively pay them to take part – definitely not us! 🇬🇧
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) June 1, 2016
Don't agree with Pro boxers being allowed to compete at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Should be left how it is. Amateurs only in my opinion.
— Callum Smith (@CallumSmith23) June 1, 2016
Though the disapproval of some observers has been fuelled by the perception that this will lead to a swath of mismatches, with professional sportsmen brutalizing ‘young’ amateurs…
Can't believe pro boxers can now compete at the olympics! I wouldn't want my 18 yr old son fighting an experienced world champion #Nonsense
— Trevor Sinclair (@trevor8sinclair) June 1, 2016
…others see things very differently. Belfast’s super-bantamweight titleholder Carl Frampton focused on the fact that the two sports are so different and suggested that it was unfair to amateurs who might now lose out on qualification.
Frampton disagreed with a fan’s assertion that the amateur fighters would be at a dangerous disadvantage, however.
Pros boxers being allowed to fight in Olympics is ridiculous! They're two different sports. It's like a badminton player playing tennis
— Carl Frampton MBE (@RealCFrampton) June 1, 2016
What about the amateurs who've been dreaming of the Olympics for years, have yet to Qualify & some pro takes their spot at the last minute?
— Carl Frampton MBE (@RealCFrampton) June 1, 2016
Wrong mate. Over 3x3s with soft gloves on most top amateurs are in the driving seat. But again, 2 different sports https://t.co/2X4v8kLlGQ
— Carl Frampton MBE (@RealCFrampton) June 1, 2016
Dublin pro Paul Hyland agreed, in more definite terms.
Its a bit off a joke allowing pro boxers into the Olympics honesty get a boxing lesson for the 3rds and plus have to make weight every day
— Paul Hyland (@paulhylanddub24) June 1, 2016
The best response to the news however, came from double-Olympic bronze medallist Paddy Barnes. Upon hearing the announcement, the cheeky veteran immediately called out the man considered by many to be the pro-game’s pound-for-pound king, Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez.
@chocolatitobox will you enter the @Olympics so I can beat you up over 3 rounds?
— Paddy Barnes Q OLY (@paddyb_ireland) June 1, 2016
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