Mick Conlan’s message to young amateur boxers

Confidence in amateur boxing is at an all-time low in Ireland at the moment.

A medal-less Olympics, the ubiquitous Billy Walsh controversy, and the scandalous decision against Mick Conlan has seen many lose faith in the vested game.

If one were to peruse the comments section of any amateur boxing article they will see that lots of people are advocating for younger fighters to turn pro rather than wait around four years for the Tokyo 2020 – where there is a perception that they will just be ‘robbed’ like Conlan.

The man himself doesn’t see it that way. Conlan was ridiculously adjudged to have been defeated in his Olympic bantamweight quarter final by Russian Vladimir Nikitin and his post-fight outrage will hopefully serve as an impetus for change within the AIBA.

When asked by Irish-Boxing.com if he feels that amateur boxing is a ‘lost cause’ and if he’d recommend younger fighters to aim for the pros rather than the Olympics, Conlan replied “no, no, definitely not.”

“I think these guys need to stay and go for the Olympic Games because the ability’s there and the coaching is there.”

“Hopefully something changes now, and it does get a bit more fair.”

Conlan stressed that he has no regrets about staying amateur until 2016 and explained how “amateur boxing is a great sport. At the end there it didn’t do me any favours and I didn’t enjoy my last tournament, but most other tournaments before that I’ve been very successful and very happy.”

“I can’t say it’s a waste of time.”

“If I had have gone pro after London 2012 I probably wouldn’t be where I am today.””

“I think it wasn’t a waste of four years for me, it was four years of learning and getting so much experience, becoming a World champion.”