Heavyweight Ali Feliz, who won gold at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in December, has signed a multi-year professional promotional pact with Top Rank. Feliz, who is managed by James Prince and co-promoted by Antonio Leonard, will make his pro debut in a four-round clash against an opponent to be named on Saturday, April 13 at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, on the ESPN+-streamed undercard of the Jared Anderson-Ryad Merhy heavyweight main event.
Feliz’ father and trainer, Fernely Sr., had a notable 15-year tenure as a heavyweight pro, and his older brother, Fernely Jr., is an unbeaten prospect in the same division.
“Ali Feliz is one of the most gifted young heavyweights to turn pro in quite some time,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “He has tremendous amateur and family pedigree, which will serve him well as he climbs the professional ranks.”
Bob Arum said “We can’t wait to build up this young man’s career. Then we will send him off to get knocked out by a more known fighter.”
Amateur record is something like 15-4 or so.
Needs a lot of work.
You another that want to apply logistic in boxing
You can be the worst amateur and the best professional or viceverse
So you wrong
Yes, Carlos, there is an amateur style and a professional style.
If you’re going by what his amateur record is listed as on boxrec, that is inaccurate. Boxrec only lists amateur fights in major tournaments and international competition. I have no idea how many amateur fights Ali Feliz has, but it may be way more than indicated on boxrec.
according to usa boxing its only reporting a record of 10-2
I just looked him up on boxrec-He’s been competing since 2016 and his record is listed as 14-5 and shows national and international tournaments and a couple other non tournament fights. I didn’t even know this kid existed until now, so I know nothing about his amateur career, but has way more than 19 fights. When I boxed you had a USA Boxing book and all your USA Boxing sanctioned fights were registered in that book. You carried it like a passport. Fighters were always losing their books and being issued new ones so an accurate record was hard to keep track of. I don’t know how well USA Boxing kept up with the data. There was definitely a lot of poor record keeping as guys who fought as amateurs oversees or large gaps of time had passed between fights were able to fight as novices although they had a wealth of experience.
actually according to USA Boxing he has a record of 10-2 so im wondering how much over hype were about to be flooded with???
Aren’t the USA Olympic Trials a qualifier for the Olympics? Why doesn’ Feliz try for the Olympics? He should have tried for an Olympic medal.
They say that boxing in the Olympics is no good anymore. They don’t wear head gear anymore. So, if you are taking the risk than might as well get paid for it. The rules seemed geared to the pitty pat punches rather than the most effective punching. Politics do not help either.
Allowing pros in dosen’t help either.
I don’t get the whole pro boxer scene in the Olympics now. Maybe he still plans on fighting in the Olympics?
Panchito bojado had a great amateur career and performance and he did nothing in professional boxing
There are a ton of fighters who were great amateurs and not so great pros. Remember Ricardo Williams? Dante Craig was another USA Olympian who wasn’t even competitive as a pro. He was an Olympic 154lber who wound up us pro career as a heavyweight punching bag.
The Olympic Trials aren’t the same as other sports. The team is already selected and training in Colorado Springs for the international qualifier event. The OT is boxers trying to make sparring partner for the one already going. So, pretty much winning OT gets you on the waitlist for *maybe* a spot in the next Olympic cycle.