Should Heavyweight Champion Andy Ruiz Jr. Be Allowed to Box for Mexico at 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games?
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Andy Ruiz Jr. says he would be honored to represent Mexico in the heavyweight division at the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo, Japan, after his upcoming world title rematch with ex-champion Andy Ruiz will be banned by the WBC from fighting for WBC titles of any kind for two years if he competes in the upcoming Olympics. Ruiz, 30, 33-1 with 22 knockouts, Imperial, California, the first world heavyweight champion of Mexican ancestry, is taking advantage of the new rule which allows professional boxers to compete in the Olympic Games.
The new nutty Olympic games boxing rules innovation violates the cardinal rule of the Olympic Games to serve as a showcase and springboard for amateur talent seeking to turn professional. Floyd Patterson, Cassius Clay, Pete Rademacher, Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Leon Spinks, Michael Spinks and Sugar Ray Leonard are but a few of the Olympic boxers who went on to stellar careers as boxing professionals. Letting professional boxers compete in the amateur ranks to win a gold, silver or bronze medal seems unfair. On the other hands, former National Basketball Association players have competed in the Olympic Games playing basketball after their NBA careers were over.
At what point do you draw the line and say professional boxers can fight amateurs for the gold, silver, and bronze medals, and it’s a fair fight? Well, it is NOT a fair fight when do this. On the other hand, after many years retired, a professional athlete can regain their amateur status.
Allowing Ruiz to compete in the 2002 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan (which cannot be stopped, if he agrees to do it) could trigger a slew of professional rivals into entering the Olympic Games to box as well. In the past, one always thought of the Summer Olympic Games and Winter Olympic games as a showcase at four-year intervals or amateur athletes to compete from all around the world. Mexico’s boxing commission has invited Ruiz to compete, while the WBC based in Mexico City seeks to stop Ruiz from competing. The door has been opened to pro boxers to fight against amateurs. Ultimately the WBC cannot pro boxers from competing in the Olympic Games in Tokyo next year.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman stated “The WBC strongly disagrees with supporting a professional boxer competing in the (2020) Olympic Games (in Tokyo). It’s something unacceptable which should not be accepted by fans and boxing experts in the world. Olympic amateur boxing is completely different. They are two different sports, and it is very dangerous (to allow professional boxers to compete against amateurs in the Olympics). We (the World Boxing Council) cannot accept this. If any professional boxer, including champions or former champions, decides to participate in the next Olympics, they will have a sanction of at least two years in the WBC (whether they have anything to do with the WBC or not).”
Mexico the country and its sports authority, therefore, are suddenly in conflict with the World Boxing Council based in Mexico City, Mexico. The conclusion?
This reporter’s view is since it is now officially allowed for professional boxers to compete in the Olympic Games, Andy Ruiz Jr. should now compete. Depending on the way it runs, if pro boxer participation in the Olympic Games in Tokyo next year is very high, the alternative would be to create separate boxing divisions at the Olympic Games-one for amateur, and one for professionals. Ruiz has to be permitted to compete in the Olympic Games because every other boxer in the professional ranks is allowed as well, and denying him the opportunity to win a gold medal just because the WBC says is not enough, because the rules have changed as applies to pro boxers being able to compete. Who said anything about fair? The Summer and Winter Olympic games are all about good television, tourism, and the worldwide media circus. If Andy Ruiz Jr. winds up fighting Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder (already an Olympic medalist) in the 2020 Olympics instead of Madison Square Garden, Staples Center or the MGM Grand, it will certainly generate controversy.
If Ruiz competes, and it looks like he will, controversy means television ratings and advertising dollars. Meanwhile, the WBA, the WBO, the IBF and the IBO have not said anything about Ruiz or other professional boxers competing in the Olympic Games. This reporter says to allow it because the rules say so. Again, it would depend on how many pro boxers jump on the Olympic bandwagon. No rules current exist which would put amateur and professional boxers in different categories at the Olympics. Such rules change might be necessary for reasons of safety. The only remaining question is allowing professionals to fight amateurs in the Olympic Games really what the public wants to see? Clearly, not in every sport. Where do you draw the line in other amateur Olympic sports if Andy Ruiz Jr. competes as an amateur next summer in Tokyo? Many related questions remain unanswered.
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