Anyone else excited for boxing this year? I am. I was extremely pissed after the 2012 team floundered. I don't care about the women's team and I probably never will. But I'm very hopeful for this year's team it looks much more solid top to bottom. There are several guys who I'm excited to see in the Olympics and who I think could make good pros.
The Olympics are always a crap shoot in boxing and I don't follow the amateurs nearly as closely as I used to, but from what I've seen, we've got a few guys who can actually really fight this year on the team. It'll be interesting to see what it's like this year without the headgear and the rule changes as well. The last team the US had that I consider to be a good team was in 1996. I hope this year we at least get a couple medals and no less than a silver.
USA! USA! USA! USA!
Have all the US slots been filled?
I think we've got 1 more qualifying tournament and a couple of slots to go.
In Rio so far team GB has got :
Galal Yafai - light fly
Muhammed Ali - fly
Quis ASHFAQ - bantam
Joe CORDINA - LW
Anthony Fowler - MW
Josh Buatsi - LHW
Lawrence Okolie - HW
Joe Joyce - SHW
We got 2 slots left.
Would not be even remotely surprised if they all got medals. 
The young American Bantamweight , Shakur Stevenson. He's looked good in WSB.
Has he qualified ?
Frames4Life - The young American Bantamweight , Shakur Stevenson. He's looked good in WSB.Yeah, he's one of the kids I really have my eye on. Good, smooth boxing ability. Reminds me a lot of Floyd and Shane as amateurs. I think only one guy has secured his slot. As I understand it, the US has a team ready, but they have to win an international qualifier to be eligible for the games.
Has he qualified ?
Also I think that Cam F Awesome guy is the heavyweight. If he can fight people will want to see him. He's weird/crazy and people seem to love that. I don't think he has a great shot at medaling, but who knows. He's won a lot of domestic amateur fights. He's already in his late 20s.
Will pro's be entering from America?
That's allowed now right?
I just think if you've got a well developed amateur program, stick with the guys in that program.
I couldn't give a fuck if Azerbaijan or Fiji send some pros.
If I'm honest, it's a right mess.
yellow's b@#ch07 - Will pro's be entering from America?It will be allowed, but the US will not be sending any pros this Olympics. The AIBA has effectively ruined amateur boxing. Amateur boxing on their international level has been incredibly screwed up for a long time by a long list of problems. They system needed to be blown up anyway. But this semi pro crap is just awful. Amateur boxing on a local level is still great, but it needs more support. Coaching a club is a full time job that costs coaches $.
That's allowed now right?
Frames do you know Anthony fowler, heard he's a nice lad deep down but continually cones across as a bell end on twitter.
Browny85 - Frames do you know Anthony fowler, heard he's a nice lad deep down but continually cones across as a bell end on twitter.The first time I met him was in the back at a show in Deeside, he'd come through to see Robbie Davies Jnr , he instantly and seemingly intentionally rubbed me the wrong way as soon as he opened his mouth, like he was powerless to stop himself.
It was like his brain thought "Oh look, a group people I've not made cringe before, best get to work! "
He's "that guy".
Keep an eye on lightweightCarlos Balderas, a Hispanic kid from southern Ca. with an overbearing father who raised him to box. (Does this ring any bells?) He's been boxing since he was 7. He's almost 20. Might be a little raw for the games, but he looks sharp in the fights I've seen him in. He's qualified. He'll be a star if he can get with the right people as a pro.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzYOzjRi5Pk
Frames4Life -Yeah he tweets absolute shite. People on twitter are hoping he loses in Rio just cause he's such a tit. I've never seen an amateur who's so infamous because he's a dickhead.Browny85 - Frames do you know Anthony fowler, heard he's a nice lad deep down but continually cones across as a bell end on twitter.The first time I met him was in the back at a show in Deeside, he'd come through to see Robbie Davies Jnr , he instantly and seemingly intentionally rubbed me the wrong way as soon as he opened his mouth, like he was powerless to stop himself.
It was like his brain thought "Oh look, a group people I've not made cringe before, best get to work! "
He's "that guy".
buddie - Keep an eye on lightweightCarlos Balderas, a Hispanic kid from southern Ca. with an overbearing father who raised him to box. (Does this ring any bells?) He's been boxing since he was 7. He's almost 20. Might be a little raw for the games, but he looks sharp in the fights I've seen him in. He's qualified. He'll be a star if he can get with the right people as a pro.I'll keep an eye out for him, I've high hopes for our Joe Cordina in the LW division also but I just can't see the Cuban genius Lazaro Alvarez fucking it up again. 3 x world champion now and you know that Bronze @ London 2012 was simply not good enough for him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzYOzjRi5Pk
We'll be playing for the runners-up slots @ 60kg.
You can put a line through the Bantamweights also imo. Alvarez moving up to lightweight from Bantamweight has allowed Cuban Robesy Ramirez to move into the mix at bantam. He's won all 10 of his WSB bouts since his Gold in London and his Gold at the Pan-Americans and his Gold before that at the junior Olympics.
Basically, anything he enters, he wins.
He's still only 22 ffs.
Browny85 -I'm going to have to check this guy out. Always need a guy to cheer againstFrames4Life -Yeah he tweets absolute shite. People on twitter are hoping he loses in Rio just cause he's such a tit. I've never seen an amateur who's so infamous because he's a dickhead.Browny85 - Frames do you know Anthony fowler, heard he's a nice lad deep down but continually cones across as a bell end on twitter.The first time I met him was in the back at a show in Deeside, he'd come through to see Robbie Davies Jnr , he instantly and seemingly intentionally rubbed me the wrong way as soon as he opened his mouth, like he was powerless to stop himself.
It was like his brain thought "Oh look, a group people I've not made cringe before, best get to work! "
He's "that guy".
He's a tough lad, very similar to Froch in a way. But fuck me he grips my shit.
.
Joe Joyce doesn't impress me much tbh. He looks a little stiff, and gets hit too much.
I'm interested to see Marlo Moore. I haven't seen him fight since he was like 17. He's got good size and looks like he's in shape. I know he's coached by Virgil Hunter and spars with some good pros including Bryant Jennings. Anyone seen this guy fight any time recently?
Not sold on Joyce either but he will win a medal, I'd rather have seen Frazer Clarke there for GB but he's 0-5 against Joyce lol.
Team USA qualifiers so far..
Nico Hernandez LF
Shakur Stevenson BW
Carlos Balderas LW
Charles Conwell MW
Think they have their final qualifying event at the end of the month. Don't know anything about Charles Conwell but he's only a kid the other 3 are very good and you'd hope they add Vargas and a few more.
I've noticed a lot of good US talent turning pro at 16-18 and making their debuts in Mexico. Kids like Devin Haney & David Benavidez , you don't want to see that trend continue. They are the ones that should be winning gold medals right now.
Can anyone tell me exactly what the process is for these kids getting a licence to box professionally ? I'm assuming they box on a licence from the Mexican boxing board?
That final qualifier starts tomorrow in Baku.
Vargas
Kroll
Esquival
Gary Russell
They just need to finish in the top 5.
Awesome & Marlo Moore need to win Gold to book their place in Rio.
Team GB have Pat McCormack competing at lightwelter, he's a big medal hope.