17 years is a long time. I am guessing you are in your late thirties or possibly forties.

What kind of fighting? Boxing? MMA? Big difference between the two. MMA is always evolving. I started going to an MMA gym a few months ago after years of boxing. Big changes have taken place in the 5-6 years since I trained (especially in grappling).

When you say amateur boxing, do you mean Golden Gloves? USA? School/college? If you are thinking of turning pro - what are your goals? Do you think you can become champion? It isn't unheard of, but there are only a handful of fighters I can think of that did much after 40.

Are you wanting to fight for money? If you had a name at one point, you could get fights based upon that. They would be fights where you'd be the underdog to an extreme, but they pay whether you win or lose. I actually knew a guy that was a semi decent boxer, but all of the fights he took were ones he'd probably lose. Nevertheless, it paid his bills, but what's he going to do after that? Boxing doesn't exactly come with a 401K.

If you are wanting to fight for the pureness of fighting and to test yourself, I get it. That's where I am at. I enjoy boxing, Muay Thai, and to a much lesser degree Jiu Jitsu. But, I have no designs on fighting pro. I have a career and other interests as well.

Anyway, these are some things to ask yourself. You'll be in the ring/cage, not me. You have to decide.