Former WBO World middleweight Champion Andy Lee says too many amateurs are turning professional for the wrong reasons.
The Limerick man says huge numbers of amateur boxers turn pro because they are not good enough to fight at the top level required. Lee says the turn pro because they have nowhere else to go.
Lee joined this afternoon’s Sunday Paper Review with Kieran Cunningham and Joe Molloy.
"A lot of guys fighting, now, can’t cut it as amateurs. They are not top class amateurs, so they have nothing else to do but turn pro,' said Lee.
The former Irish super middleweight champion say there is a percieved misconception from the public when they think amateur boxing is at superior level to that of the professional code.
“People see these guys turning pro and think they’re fighting at a higher level. They’re not. The skill level is way below that of what top class amateurs are fighting at.“
The limerick man made reference to Katie Taylors amateur career, and how the level of opposition closed the distance in terms of technical skill and ability, towards the end of Taylor's amateur career.
“When you see Katie Taylor, towards the end, when the other countries were catching up with her, and the other female competitors were catching up in skill. Her fights were very close but when she turned pro she’s kind of walking through, especially her early fights.”
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