Spanish Olympic boxers make the jump to professionalism

The good results achieved by novice boxers of Spanish Boxing Federation (FEB) eventually Olympic Games had a great impact and was not noticed by anyone, receiving the most outstanding gloves and having the biggest blow in the national amateur boxing of some measures to debut in professionalism, a jump that always goes around the heads of beginners boxers, who always tempt the great night, the fame and, why, the extra income they can get.

Miguelón Cuadrado, Gazi Khalidov and Enamuel Reyes Pla they already have a date for their debut as professionals, while Gabriel Escobarwhich is scheduled for October 15 at Shithas delayed his debut, which may be in Madrid or to Toledo.

The first to make a move is Emmanuel Reyes Pla Y Gazi Khalidovwho will debut as professionals on October 7 and 8, the first of A Corona and the second to Villamediana de Iregua, in Logroño. Many eyes are on these two great ‘punchers’ in the ring, given his impressive resume. At 27 years old, Gazi, the Logroño born in Dagestandeveloping in the noble art found in the world elite of Olympic boxing of his weight, and aspiring to all, after becoming an Olympic diploma in games in tokyo. next saturday, Khalidov, will be looking to debut at the 81 kgs limit, over six rounds and against an opponent to be announced soon. “Gazi is not only a good fighter with good technique and a good punch, necessary in heavy weights, but he also has a very good head and, in addition, he is a fan of preparation,” said his mentor to MD, Jose Ignacio Barruetabena.

A day before, October 7, and in his adopted land, Emmanuel Reyes Pla, ‘The Prophet’ -diploma at the Tokyo 2020 Games, bronze at the last World Championship and silver at the last European Championship- will debut as a professional in Sports Center of Barrio Das Flores from A Coruna.

Because of these promising debuts, some questions arise, such as why now and not then, what does it mean or represent for them to jump into professionalism and what is the position of Spanish Boxing Federation (FEB), where they belong. “The federation knows that in the past it was very difficult for these children to be with the national team for two or three Olympic cycles, normally after games in tokyo some of them will be professionals, but now that they are allowed the fraud of being a novice and a professional so that they can also participate in the Olympic Games, the Spanish federation also wants to give them a little reward”, he pointed out. Carlos Utrilla to MD, although he clarified that “as long as the national calendar allows. They remain under the discipline of the national team and if they are told that they should focus on the national team, they should, because the priority is their amateur career”.

“It is not exclusive, added Carlos Utrilla, they will combine their professional careers with the clear objective of reaching 2024 Paris Olympicssome professional fights which, in addition to the future, are good for them”.

A duplicity that at this point of the year they can carry out because the calendar also makes it easier for them. This 2022 the big date for them was the European Championshipwhere the Spanish delegation won five medals, and “so far they have no other competition marked on the calendar, apart from seeing what the planning will be for the preparation for Paris’24 and the classification criteria for the next Olympic Games”.

Previous ones

This situation, in fact, is not new, because of Rio 2016 Olympic Games Boxers who came from professionalism were allowed to access, although not all novice boxers decided to take the step, because of the sacrifice and adaptation it represents, because it is not the same to propose an amateur tournament with three- round fight than professionals in the limit of eight or ten, so the debut of Khalidov be six rounds’.

And this is from FEB they know that professionalism is too sweet to give up. “The federation was the first to support the new boxers. We know that this is a unique generation. We know that after the performance in Tokyo the boys had a lot of impact and some of them had lovers for them that jumped professionalism. The team came together, the boys want to go to Paris and for many of them this is the last Olympic cycle. If they work hard, so will we. We have to repay and support them and Rafael Lozano -national boxing coach- was the first to encourage them to do it”.

ALSO APPLICABLE TO WOMEN

These facilities enjoyed by the men also apply to the women, although at the moment it is not known that any of the members of the national team are planning to make the move to professionalism or try it. The very explosion of boxing and the Olympic cycles themselves somewhat conditioned the decision-making of the national novice boxers. The last to show her will but in the end her intention was not fulfilled was Melissa González Tudge, better known as ‘La Vikinga’.