Pro Boxers Have New Pathway To 2028 Olympic Games
Professional boxers in the United States will have a new opportunity to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
USA Boxing announced that its inaugural Professional Pathway Tournament will take place December 5-12 at the CAJUNDOME in Lafayette, Louisiana, alongside the USA Boxing Elite National Championships.
Professional boxers will compete exclusively against one another under Olympic-style rules, with the winner of each Olympic weight class earning an invitation to the 2027 Elite Team Evaluation and Selection Camp in Colorado Springs.
Winning the tournament will not guarantee an Olympic berth, with participants required to meet the same performance and eligibility standards as amateur boxers.
“Our goal is to field the strongest possible U.S. team,” said USA Boxing board chairman Chris Trombetta. “For some athletes, the Olympics have been a goal since their first amateur bout. For others, this offers an opportunity to pursue that goal after turning professional.”
USA Boxing confirmed that the existing amateur selection process will remain unchanged.
Eligible professionals must meet citizenship, age and licensing requirements, with competitors receiving no guaranteed payment for participating in the December tournament.
The initiative expands USA Boxing’s selection process ahead of the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.