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When is one old enough to turn
professional in the tough sport
of boxing?
Let’s pause on that question for
a minute and just throw two
names into the debate - Baby
Arizmendi and Wilfredo Benitez
(but we’ll come back to them at
a later stage.)
I remember having a huge debate
rather than argument with the
chess authorities in Cape Town
in 1975 at a time where I was
almost at my best in my chess
career. I was a cocky 18 year
old, had won five chess
tournament in the year and was
ranked 5 in the country.
I had been invited to play in
the South African closed event
where only the top 12 in the
country could participate. The
local Cape Town closed was a
separate event and which invited
the top 12 players in Cape Town
to participate.
I was certainly not thrilled
when I was not invited to play
but only invited to participate
in the second section for
players ranked below. I was
ranked number 3 in Cape Town and
number 5 in South Africa - but
ironically was deemed too young
to play in an event where nine
of the participating players
were ranked below me.
I was told to prove myself
(which I and the South African
rankings had already proven) and
decided to withdraw from the
second section in a sort of
hollow protest. The question
arising is if one is good
enough, are they then old
enough.
Sachin Tendulkar - the legend of
Indian cricket made his
international debut at the
tender age of 16 years and 205
days. The coach, when being
highly criticized, simply
retorted that if you’re good
enough, then you’re old enough
to debut. Now retired Tendulkar
remains one of the greatest
cricketers of all time.
So back to Alberto ‘Baby’
Arizmendi. Born in Mexico, and
eventually a world featherweight
champion, Arizmendi turned
professional at the tender age
of 13, the youngest ever
recorded boxing professional.
The legendary Wilfredo Benitez.
The Puerto Rican born Benitez
won the first of three world
titles at the age of 17 and
remains one of the finest boxing
professionals of all time.
While 18 is considered the
correct age for youngsters to
turn professional, and which is
the legal age to do so in
certain countries, other
countries tend to be flexible in
their acceptance of different
ages to turn professional.
Many fighters in countries such
as Mexico, Philippines and
several others, tend to allow
fighters to turn professional
around the ages of 15, 16 and
17, which once again throws open
the initial debate.
My personal opinion, which will
differ no doubt with many of the
readers, is that while the age
of 18 is probably most
acceptable, I do believe that
fighters with exceptional talent
should be possibly allowed to
turn pro at 16 under certain
circumstances.
If you’re good enough are you
then old enough? And if so, does
it apply to boxing? You be the
judge...
Until next time, keep boxing.
Howard Goldberg
PRESIDENT: World Boxing
Federation
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