Pro boxers get approval to compete in Olympics

The international boxing federation has voted overwhelmingly to allow professionals to compete in the Olympics effective immediately.

That means the likes of Manny Pacquiao and Wladimir Klitschko could seek to qualify for the upcoming 2016 Summer Games – but it doesn’t mean they will.

Pacquiao, for one, recently announced that he would forego the Games to concentrate on his work as a senator in the Philippines.

Critics have suggested that opening the door to pros could foster mismatches between experienced fighters and young amateurs.

Mike Tyson recently called the proposal “ridiculous.”

But officials with the sport’s governing body, the AIBA, hailed Wednesday’s vote as a historic development.

“This is a momentous occasion for AIBA, for Olympic boxing, and for our sport as a whole, and represents another great leap forward in the evolution of boxing,” said Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu, the federation’s president. “Our mission is to continue to make brave decisions in the best interest of our boxers and for the good for the sport.”

The AIBA recently made another major ruling, discontinuing the use of head guards after medical research showed they contributed to concussions.

As for the pros, they have only a short time to qualify for the Rio de Janeiro Games in August, with 26 spots up for grabs at a tournament in Venezuela next month.

Potential qualifiers must also be in compliance with the AIBA’s drug testing regimen.

david.wharton@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATimesWharton