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Gavin: Professional ambition
It's all on the ABA, if they come up with the goods they've been promising after the Commonwealth Games. We were supposed to be getting things but it's never happened.
Frankie Gavin
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Great Britain's top Olympic hope Frankie Gavin has told the Amateur Boxing Association to stump up the cash they promised in order to prevent him from turning professional after Beijing.
Birmingham lightweight Gavin is a strong gold medal challenger at the Olympics, and he has already turned down an offer to go pro.
The 22-year-old became Britain's first ever amateur world champion in Chicago last November and he has been held in high regard ever since.
Gavin has said that he would turn pro immediately after the Olympics regardless of his performance, but he may now be willing to reconsider.
Team GB would like to keep Gavin in the amateur ranks for their team at the London 2012 Games, but that will not happen unless the ABA come good on previous promises of a more lucrative package.
"The ABA are going to have to do something, come up with something really good," said Gavin.
"I think if a good deal's put in place, I could stay until 2012.
"If nothing's put in place to stay amateur then there's no chance but they've told us they will, so we'll see."
Deal
"UK Sport have done everything for us, the money, tracksuits, if people want to get me to stay amateur, the ABA are going to have to come up with something.
"It's all on the ABA, if they come up with the goods they've been promising after the Commonwealth Games. We were supposed to be getting things but it's never happened.
"Now (ABA Chief Executive) Paul King's saying he's going to do this and he's going to do that but he hasn't done anything yet.
"They keep saying they're going to give us more money. You'll know after the Olympics whether he's kept his promise as to whether I've stayed amateur or not."
Gavin made it clear that UK Sport were doing all they could, and made sure his point was directed at the ABA only.
Gavin als said that he has turned down big-money offers to turn professional even before the Olympics, but his sights have been set on Beijing gold.
"I've been approached by nearly everyone and had money put down," he added.
"But I had a bit of advice off coaches and Terry. I didn't know what I was going to do but now I'm glad I've opted to stay amateur."
Price not right
Giant Liverpudlian David Price, who fights in the super-heavyweight division at the Olympics, revealed he too turned down an offer to turn professional.
"I spoke to someone a couple of months ago and they offered me a certain amount to sign with them before the Olympics, but I don't want to make any decisions until afterwards," Price said.
"It seemed like a lot of money to me because I haven't got much, but I haven't decided whether I want to go professional yet because of London (2012), so I had to turn them down point blank."
Price, captain of the eight-man Team GB boxing outfit, also feels the ABA could have done more for fighters.
"They could also try to look elsewhere for sponsorship for us because all these other sports in the Olympics seem to be getting good sponsorship deals off major companies," he added.
"None of us have got personal sponsorship deals and hopefully that could change after the Olympics and that would be a big thing to stay for."
