According to the president of world governing body AIBA, Dr Ching-Kuo Wu, the organization is all set to allow professional boxers to participate in the Olympics.
Wu said: “We want the best boxers to come to the Olympic Games. It is AIBA’s 70th birthday and we want something to change – not after four years, but now. “It is an IOC policy to have the best athletes in the Games and of the international federations, AIBA is probably the only one without professional athletes in the Olympics.
“We already have our own professionals, APB and WSB boxers, in the Games – [and] we will go further.”
When asked whether the change could be made in time for Rio, Wu was very optimistic about it and said it can happen.
Although the qualifying process for Rio is underway, there is still time for individual national federations to pick and choose their own athletes. But it is understood that most countries will implement this rule gradually, because they have nurtured their armature boxers and invested so much time in them for the predations of the upcoming games, and it will be unfair to them.
So there is a little chance that British fans will be treated with Anthony Joshua (RDX Brand Ambassador) and Amir Khan at the Rio Olympics fighting for Gold for their country, but for now they have a much bigger challenge at hand where there next fight is for the world title.
