The cons of turning pro

U.S. boxers at continual experience disadvantage at Olympic level

Vincente Escobedo cruised in his first bout, disposing of Jose David Mosquera of Columbia. AP

U.S. boxing hasn't been competitive for several Olympics -- no gold in Sydney, only one in Atlanta -- and it may not be again in Athens. But there's hardly any need to wonder why.

When Russia can field a two-time gold medalist, Cuba can routinely return Olympians and the U.S. has to make do with teen-agers, none of whom are likely to remain amateur long enough to participate past voting age, well, we're talking about an advantage in international experience.

Monday's first-round action in the lightweight division was a good case in point. Vicente Escobedo, a 22-year-old from Woodland, Calif., easily beat Columbia's Jose David Mosquera, becoming the third U.S. boxer to advance. But Escobedo almost certainly will run into Cuba's Mario Cesar Kindela Mesa well before the medal round. Not to say Escobedo doesn't have a chance, but Mesa's been this way before, winning gold in Sydney. And let's say Escobedo does advance. He'd likely end up in a semifinal match with Morocco's Tahar Tamsmani, a bronze medalist at featherweight in 2004.

Escobedo is confident, not just of his chances but his teammates'. "With our speed, we can go against anybody," he said.

But experience will always be a deciding factor in amateur boxing, where international practice in what amounts to a form of sharpshooting, blunts America's penchant for power. And the U.S., let's face it, will never have experience.

"Not," says U.S. assistant coach John Zanders, "when people go offering these kids a lot of money to turn pro."

That's the tradeoff, and always will be. Escobedo probably can't wait to go pro, having endured very real sacrifice to stay amateur. The only way he could afford to bring his family over -- he's flown five in so far, more to come -- is because of some grass-roots fund-raising. His community held car washes and sold shirts. A bar-and-grill owner came through big. Altogether $25,000 was scraped up just so Escobedo's family could participate in this Olympic thrill.

If he decides to turn pro after this and somehow repay his community, can you blame him? That's why he won't be back for the 2012 Games, and 33-year-old Mesa might.

Then again, for all the gold medals Mesa might have, nobody's going to be flying his parents in to see him win another.