Omari Jones has gone back home to start a new chapter, and he is not short on confidence.
The former US Olympian, America’s only medallist at the 2024 Games, makes his professional debut at the Caribe Royale in Orlando on Saturday, matched against Alessio Mastronunzio on DAZN.
“I’m a boxer puncher, hit and don’t get hit, I feel like I’m a mixture of a couple of fighters people enjoyed back in the day like Jones, Sugar Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali, Floyd Mayweather, it’s a mixture and I feel like if fans loved those guys, they’ll definitely love me,” he said.
The 22 year old, signed to Matchroom, meets the 14-5 (14 KOs) Italian over six rounds and will come in over the welterweight limit he plans to operate at.
“Bringing big time boxing back to Orlando is definitely a dream come true," he said. "I always envisioned myself having a homecoming here, seeing the crowd and all the fans here, and to be the star of the city. I feel like my younger self would definitely be proud of me and where I am now. Thinking back to the eight-year-old kid that always envisioned himself at the Olympics, told his parents that I have to get to the gym in order to fulfil my goals and dreams, it’s like, ‘Wow man, you did it’, but the job is definitely not done yet.
“The Olympics was a once-in-a-lifetime dream achieved. Of course I wanted the gold medal, but now it’s time to go on to the next chapter and achieve my professional boxing dreams.
“I can move on to the professional ranks and show people what I can do, start with six rounds and as the fights go on in my career, I’m just going to keep getting better. I don’t feel any pressure to fight in my city, I just go out there and perform day in and day out. I think my ideal weight is probably going to be 154lbs. I definitely see myself going up different weight classes as I get older like 160 and 168, but just one step at a time, get some titles here and there and maybe do something like Roy Jones.
“It’s a new chapter, the start of a new Omari Jones stepping into the pro game, I have nothing but time to work with at 22. Once they let me go, it’s time to do my thing.”