The chase for the elusive gold remains unresolved, with Team USA Boxing having to settle for bronze. Young Omari Jones salvaged some honor for his country. He also became the first American in 36 years to win a welterweight division medal. However, critics might consider this one of the worst performances for a country with such a storied boxing history in the Olympic Games. Though the team failed to secure a gold at the Tokyo Olympics, the men won three silvers, with Oshae Jones earning a bronze among women. So where does Team USA Boxing go from here?

Enter Jake Paul. Doubts have surfaced over boxing’s trajectory at the upcoming Games, and a few other challenges may also be on the horizon. But ‘The Problem Child’, it appears, has decided to do his part for the country. The YouTuber-turned-boxer has suggested stepping into the ring when the 34th edition of the Games returns to the US. The bigger question is: can he participate?

Jake Paul: Taking Charge

Jake Paul joined his cohosts and girlfriend Jutta Leerdam on the set of his podcast, ‘BS w/ Jake Paul’. Along with Gervonta Davis, ‘The Problem Child’ was one of Team USA’s key mentors. He was talking about his role. He lauded Omari Jones for his performance. But he seemed unhappy with the way things eventually turned out for the Orlando native.

Critical over the boxing judging, he said, “So many so many issues with boxing judging, unfortunately, but yeah, we, uh, go back to the drawing board for Team USA. I’m going to enter the 2028 Olympics for boxing in Los Angeles. I’m sick and tired of waiting around waiting for another gold for Team USA.”

When co-host ‘Kill Jasper’ asked whether that meant that he wouldn’t be retiring from the sport, Paul replied that he would be adding a few more years to his boxing career. Quite a positive step from a crossover boxer, who only recently started fighting boxers—albeit semi-retired ones. However, the move still hovers under a few posers.

Jake Paul is a professional boxer, so does the Olympics permit a tenured athlete who competes for monetary gain to participate? Let’s say they do, as reportedly quite a few professional boxers marked their appearance in Paris. There is still the question of whether boxing will feature in Los Angeles four years from now.

Where matters currently lie

Boxing made its Olympic debut in the 1904 St. Louis Olympics. The sport, like other disciplines, followed the Olympic ethos of permitting only amateur participation. Things began to change in the 1970s, when the governing body became more flexible. It wasn’t until the 1988 Seoul Olympics that professionals were allowed to represent their countries. But boxing had to wait. Its turn came only by the 2016 Rio Games. But like other team members, a professional boxer is still required to go through one of the official Olympic qualifiers.

Let’s say Jake Paul clears that hurdle. But what about the sport itself? Talks are rife about boxing’s uncertain future in the Olympics. After the International Boxing Association (IBA), which used to oversee the sport during the summer games, was suspended, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been managing boxing since the 2016 edition. Hence, rumors abound as to whether they would continue to preside over the LA28 as well.

Per available sources, another organization, World Boxing, has emerged. It appears to have garnered backing from several nations. But the problem is that with only 37 national federations as signatories, the IOC has yet to acknowledge the organization’s standing. So while Jake Paul’s reasons for doing his bit for the country might remain bona fide, he and his team might have to reconcile with external factors beyond their control.

Do you think Jake Paul can do what many of his compatriot boxers haven’t been able to at the Olympics—win the gold?