Barnes: It is a risk but I would turn pro in the morning

WHEN Paddy Barnes talks about turning pro being a risk, he is referring to all things financial not fighting.

The two time Olympic medal winner hasn’t lost that air of confidence he carry’s around with him, but knows the pay packets are not as big for the little men in the pro game.

However, that doesn’t mean the Belfast fan favourite wouldn’t like to turn over and emulate his friend Carl Frampton by claiming a professional World title.

Barnes, who qualified for Rio 2016 and will be favourite to captain the Olympic Team, says he would turn over tomorrow if the right offer was put on the table.

“Most professionals my weight are 36 and all. I’d go professional in the morning, I’ve just never been offered to go professional. [At amateur level] I would say I would be the best in the world at my weight if the fight goes well.
“It would be a big risk if I was to go professional. Obviously it’s not really about money in my weight class in the professional game,” he told Eurosport.

Barnes is fresh from a hand operation and revealed he fought through the pain barrier to ensure early Olympic qualification via the WSB.

“I hurt it in the first fight of the World Series of Boxing. I had ligaments fixed. I hurt it in January but I fought on. I won all my fights,” Barnes said.

“That’s why I fought on. I knew qualification was at stake so I had to put that to the back of my head, although I couldn’t train properly. I had no pads, no sparring, but I pushed on and won all my fights and qualified for Rio.”

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