By Nick Butler

Boxer turned promoter Mike Tyson has been accused of poaching the best talent on the US Olympic teamOctober 1 - World champion turned promoter Mike Tyson has been criticised by the President of USA Boxing for luring many of the country's brightest Olympic hopefuls into the professional ranks at a premature age.


The enticing of amateurs into professional divisions due to seemingly lucrative financial offers is a problem which has long dogged the sport and especially so in the United States.

But, in the case of one 17-year-old prospect, Tyson's Iron Mike Promotions has, in the eyes of US Boxing, overstepped the mark.

In an open letter the organisations President Dr Charles Butler accused Tyson of "undermining the next United States Olympic Boxing Team."

The letter explains how "young boxers are foregoing their Olympic hopes and the hopes of our nation in exchange for a professional boxing contract now".

"Offering these athletes pennies on the dollar of what they could be worth with an Olympic medal, or even potentially just being an Olympian," it accuses.

Iron Mike Tyson knocks out Trever Berbick in 1986 to become the youngest ever World Heavyweight championIron Mike Tyson knocks out Trever Berbick in 1986 to become the youngest ever world heavyweight champion to begin a controversial career which has stayed controversial despite his transition to a promoter


After describing the benefits, both as a boxer and in a long term financial sense, of staying amateur, the letter concludes by stating "Mike, an athlete who is just turning 18 is too young for the world of professional boxing."

"The other promoters are not prematurely stalking our future Olympic stars at this time.

"You were a prodigy within USA Boxing in the early 1980s and understand the importance of our programme - please don't harm our 2016 Olympic team."

In particular, the article refers to the case of a 17 year old athlete, referred to as "our best hope", who had been offered a place on the US Olympic Training Centre programme,

Tyson is accused of immediately making an approach after the fighter became old enough to turn professional on his 18th birthday two days ago.

Iron Mike Promotions have since confirmed the signing of Florida fighter Erickson Lubin on Tuesday, his 18th birthday, which would suggest that he was the boxer in question.

Lubin is a two-time Junior Olympic national champion who also won his division at the National Golden Gloves this year.

In his biography on the USA Boxing website his goals were described as to win a gold medal at the Olympics, turn professional and win every title possible, but a recent social media message admitting suggests that these objectives have now changed.

A tweet two days ago from Erikson Lubin admitted that the former Olympic hope had signed with Iron Mike Productions after turning 18A tweet from Erickson Lubin admitted that the former Olympic hope had signed with Iron Mike Productions after turning 18



Despite being the target of USA Boxing's wrath Iron Mike Promotions are certainly not the only promoters guilty of enticing budding Olympians.

DiBella Entertainment, for example, recently admitted the signing of 17-year-old "Sugar Boy" Younan of New York who is now set to make his pro debut in late October or early November, after his 18th birthday.

America appears worse hit than anywhere else for this problem as, after winning a solitary gold courtesy of light-heavyweight Andre Ward at Athens 2004, they won just one bronze medal at Beijing in 2008 and drew a complete blank last year in London.

This has also impacted on USA Boxing which has undergone a series of shake-ups and suffered cuts in its funding from the United States Olympic Committee.

This is in stark contrast to other places such as Britain who, after the introduction of National Lottery funding to offer athletes some incentive to stay amateur, won three gold medals at their home Olympics in London last year.

Two of those - Luke Campbell and Anthony Joshua - have since become professionals but the difference with the USA appears to be that they are prepared to wait for at least one Olympic cycle before doing so.

As the letter alludes to, with many boxers hailing from "disadvantaged communities often riddled with crime, drugs and gangs", they are unlikely to turn down opportunities for short term revenue, but would be better served in the long run by remaining amateur.

At the US Olympic Training Centre athletes do not get paid but have all of their room and board covered and also enjoy access to world-class training facilities, medical care, and a wide array of athlete services.

Athletes training at the US Olympic Training Centre in Colorado SpringsAthletes training at the US Olympic Training Centre in Colorado Springs enjoy many aspects of a professional lifestyle...but not the payment


The chief executive of the US Olympic Committee, Scott Blackmun refused to deny that athletes have the right to decide their future, but did also predicted that recent structural changes will deem remaining with USA Boxing more attractive.

"I think the re-organisation that USA Boxing recently completed is going to be very, very beneficial because it brings independent thinkers to their board," he said.

"At the end of the day, I don't think you can take away the choices that our athletes have.

"They have to weigh the importance of an Olympic medal, the impact an Olympic medal would have on their lifetime Olympic goals and weigh that against the short-term opportunity of turning professional."