APB is looking to roll back decades of tradition by offering contracts that allow fighters to box professionally in the competition, with a guaranteed salary, while also retaining their Olympic eligibility.

Heavyweight Russo is currently one of the biggest names in amateur boxing after winning gold at the Chicago 2007 World Championships and silver at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympics.

Since Beijing 2008, the 30-year-old from Marcianise has become one of the biggest stars in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) and was crowned the first ever heavyweight champion in the competition in 2011.

He was narrowly beaten for the gold medal at London by Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk. 

Meanwhile, 28-year-old Valentino (pictured top), who won gold at lightweight in the 2011 World Championships, again narrowly missing out on the medals at London 2012, where he reached the quarter-finals, just as he had done at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.

Heavyweight Clemente Russo has joined the AIBA's new Professional Boxing programme

AIBA President and APB chairman CK Wu said that signing the pair during London 2012 was a major boost ahead of the APB launch at the end of next year.

"These two exciting additions add further legitimacy to our new competition," said Wu.

"We are convinced that it is the right time to provide something different for our top boxers.

"With APB we will revolutionise the world of boxing and establish a blueprint for its development.

"Finally our athletes won't have to jump into the unknown while embracing a professional career."

The latest recruits come just over a month after the inaugural APB signings when light welterweight Serik Sapiyev of Kazakhstan, light flyweight Jong-Hun Shin of South Korea and reigning amateur super heavyweight champion Magomedrasul Medzhidov of Azerbaijan were unveiled.

The new recruits claimed they were delighted to be joining the trio in the APB.

"Turning pro in boxing is never easy to decide, especially when you have had a successful Olympic boxing career," said Russo.

"I am thrilled with the career I have had so far and I know what pro-style boxing is about thanks to two seasons in World Series of Boxing.

"I now feel ready and happy to join APB knowing that I will never be left aside."

Valentino was equally thrilled.

Oscar De La Hoya (right) celebrates after winning lightweight gold at Barcelona 1992

"I was never convinced to turn pro until I was offered this opportunity by APB," he said.

"I feel safer staying under the same governance and within my national federation.

"I know how many fights I will have per year and how much I will get from them.

"There is no uncertainty because all is guaranteed."

Should APB prove successful it could see the AIBA create a programme that stops the best boxers turning professional in a move which would certainly concern the world's top professional promoters.

Boxing history is swamped with examples of Olympic boxing champions making hugely successful professional careers, such as the legendary Muhammad Ali – who won the light heavyweight gold medal at Rome in 1960 under the name of Cassius Clay before going on to become the best heavyweight fighter ever.

Other notable names include George Foreman, who won the heavyweight gold medal at Mexico City in 1968, Sugar Ray Leonard, winner of the light welterweight title at Montreal in 1976, and Oscar De La Hoya, who won lightweight gold at Barcelona in 1992.

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