Omari Jones’ Coach Recalls Their Journey to Paris Olympics: “They Wanted Him To Turn Pro”

Omari Jones looks to go where no American has gone in the last 20 years. He has turned heads at the Paris 2024 Olympics with his technical skills and boxing prowess and finds himself on the cusp of golden glory. After racking up consecutive wins, he has stormed into the semifinals and assured himself of a medal. However, it might not have been the case if the American boxer’s coach had given in to the temptation of turning him pro in 2021.

Jones, 21, had a tumultuous start to his amateur career, but when he joined hands with Jason Galarza, he emerged as a formidable force. Sparring for 8 rounds became a usual part of training, and when the first elite level test came in the 2020 US Nationals, he trounced top fighters and bagged the champion’s title. While the Orlando native was plowing down the competition, Galarza had a meeting with someone in USA Boxing. The coach had faith in his disciple’s skills, and he already predicted that Jones would make the USA Boxing team. That’s not it. He had Jones leading the team.

“It was probably day three of the tournament. I had let him know that this kid is very talented, and he’s going to make the team. And I wouldn’t be surprised if he would be the captain of the team. They pretty much looked at me, shook the head until they see what he could produce,” the American coach narrated in a USA Boxing video.

Galarza also mentioned that the welterweight boxer was already “locked in” on his Olympic dream and nothing could steer him away from it. So, when they won the tournament, managers and promoters flocked in to bag Jones’ signatures. However, Jones’ father made the call. The SODK Boxing head continued, “Everyone approached me. They wanted to turn him pro right then and there. I looked at him, I looked at his dad, and he said, ‘No,’ and I said, ‘Okay, we’re going to stick with it’.”

Soon after the nationals, Jones received an email from USA Boxing with an invitation to the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center to help the Olympians get to the Tokyo Olympics. Things moved quickly for him, and soon he found himself in their shoes and onboard the plane to Paris. This would never have been the case if he had turned pro at 18. And now, the 30-10 record holder finds himself knocking on the finals’ door.

Omari Jones looks to end America’s 20-year-long wait

The last time an American boxer clinched gold was in 2004 when Andre Ward won one in light heavyweight. The medal drought in the welterweight division stretched back to 1988, when Kenneth Gould did it. Jones will be the first American to add a welterweight boxing medal to America’s tally since then. The fans will hope the color will be golden so that he can again assert American dominance in boxing.

Jones will face Uzbekistan’s Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev in the semis. Irrespective of the result, he will have a medal hanging around his neck during the closing ceremony. Both boxers have made their marks with comprehensive wins so far into the tournament. So, the fans are in for an exciting encounter.

What do you make of this anecdote about Omari Jones? Do you believe he is cut out for pro-boxing? Let us know in the comments below.