RIO gold medal favourite Michael Conlan has backed the decision to allow professional boxers to compete at the Olympic Games, saying he believes it will “enhance” the sport in years to come.
The bantamweight star, who won bronze at London 2012 and has his sights set on top honours in Brazil, feels the introduction of big names from the paid ranks will help to raise the profile of boxing at the Games in future.
“I think it enhances it,” said the 56kg world champion.
“To have the media attention that comes with pro boxers is fantastic. Amateur boxing is no longer amateur – we are more professional than a lot of professionals, and it does annoy me at times when people ask why I haven’t gone professional yet.
“What I’m doing is probably ahead of what a lot of professionals are doing, with altitude chambers, regular blood checks and all that.
“Not all pros do all that because it costs a lot of money, whereas with the help of Sport NI and the Irish Sports Council, we can. We’re very lucky to have that support.”
And Conlan says he would fancy his chances against any professional stepping into the amateur world – but doesn’t expect too many of the sport’s elite operators to fancy a crack at Rio.
He added: “I’ll happily welcome them, I wouldn’t fear any of them because if you put a sprinter against a long distance runner over 100 metres, who’s going to win? There’s a big difference in pace, big difference in timing, distance, footwork.
“I don’t think too many will be in Rio, they’re really aiming towards future Olympic Games. The only pros who still fight like amateurs are the likes of [Vasyl] Lomachenko, Manny Pacquiao and Guillermo Rigondeaux, and I can’t see any of them going.
“It’s 65 days until the start of the Games – it’s too short notice for them because it takes a long time to adjust from 12 rounds to three rounds and if you ask any pro who spars an amateur, in the first three rounds the amateur’s going to beat him up.
“It doesn’t matter who they are. If you ask Carl Frampton or anybody they’ll tell you that.”
