Another one of the 2016 U.S. Olympic boxers has officially entered the professional ranks.
Charles Conwell, 19, of Cleveland, has signed a deal with David McWater’s Split T Management, the company announced.
Conwell was the United States’ middleweight representative at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games but plans to compete as a welterweight as a professional. In the Olympics, Conwell was eliminated by losing his opening round bout by unanimous decision to two-time Olympian Vikas Krishan of India.
“David McWater of Split T Management is known as a man who cares about his fighters, not only inside of the ring, but outside of it as well,” Conwell said. “When I talked to a lot of people, they had a lot of nice things to say about him. When I met him and got to know him, he showed me that he cared about me not only as a boxer, but as a person, and that’s the one I want handling my career.”
Conwell has not signed with a promoter yet but the management company is talking to promoters about working with him. He probably will make his professional debut in early 2017.
“Charles is a wonderful person as well as a fighter,” McWater said. “He’s accomplished so much in his life already. How many kids win National Golden Gloves, U.S. Nationals, Continental Elite Worlds and make honor roll in school all before they graduate high school? Close to none I would guess. He’s just an awesome young man and a tremendous talent. I’m very excited to be working for him.”
Conwell has been boxing since he was 10 when his father introduced him to the sport by bringing him to a gym. That led to his standout amateur career, in which he was an 11-time national champion. He was USA Boxing Junior Male Athlete of the Year in 2015. He has big plans for his professional career.
“My Olympic experience did not go as planned, but I made the most of it,” Conwell said. “By fighting internationally, I got to see a lot of different styles of fighters and took some of the good qualities and added it to my style, which will help me become even a better fighter. I am a very smart boxer with fast hands and power.
“When people see me, they will think of Aaron Pryor, Mike Tyson and Andre Ward all rolled up into one. I plan to become the undisputed world welterweight champion and leave a legacy in boxing. I will be known as one of the all-time greats to come out of Ohio.”
Of the six American men to compete in the Rio Games, all have announced their intentions to turn pro.
- Light flyweight bronze medalist Nico Hernandez, of Wichita, Kansas, told ESPN he is going pro and planned to make his debut on the Terence Crawford-John Molina undercard on Dec. 10 in Omaha, Nebraska. However, a deal for that fight with Top Rank has fallen through because, according to Top Rank, Hernandez told the company he has had other, better offers.
- Flyweight Antonio Vargas, of Kissimmee, Florida, is expected to also sign with Split T Management. The sides are in the process of finalizing a deal.
- Bantamweight silver medalist Shakur Stevenson, of Newark, New Jersey, the highest-profile American boxer from Rio, has already announced his intention to turn pro. He told ESPN he is weighing offers from promoters and plans to fight professionally in early 2017.
- Lightweight Carlos Balderas, of Santa Maria, California, has, along with older brother Jose Balderas, signed with promoter Richard Schaefer’s Ringstar Sports in early November and will turn pro in early 2017.
- Light welterweight Gary Antuanne Russell, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, the younger brother of featherweight world titleholder Gary Russell Jr., is expected to join his brother under the guidance of adviser Al Haymon, the creator of Premier Boxing Champions.
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