IBF: Professional boxers in Olympics will lose titles
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Professional boxers who compete at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro will be stripped of their International Boxing Federation titles, the governing body announced on Monday.
A decision was made earlier in June to allow professional boxers to compete at the Summer Olympic Games; however, the IBF has voiced its concern over pitting professionals against amateurs in competition.
The IBF also plans to remove any Olympic fighters from its rankings for a year.
• 100 athletes and storylines to watch at the 2016 Rio Olympics
Boxing in Rio will already be different from past Olympics, as athletes will not wear headgear for the first time since it was introduced at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Amir Khan and Manny Pacquiao debated competing at the Olympics but ultimately decided not to.
USA Boxing has decided not to send any professional boxers to the 2016 Olympics, which run from Aug. 5 to 21.
