Jake Paul recently told the world that he intended to box professionally at the 2028 Olympics, to be held in Los Angeles. The 27-year-old influencer-turned-boxer took to his podcast, BS W/ Jake Paul, to vent about Team USA’s Olympic boxing dry spell, as they have not taken home the gold since Andre Ward did so back in 2004. Jake Paul said,
“I am tired of waiting around, waiting for another gold for Team USA,”
and announced that he wanted to take home the medal himself.
Despite high ambitions, there is uncertainty over whether boxing will feature in the 2028 Olympics. The International Olympic Committee has not yet confirmed that the sport would feature in the games due to ongoing rows with the International Boxing Association. This left the sport in limbo, as negotiations are expected to conclude next year.
The United States boxers have a marvelous Olympic history in the sport. They now have a total of 111 medals: 49 gold, 23 silver, and 39 bronze. The most recent American male boxer to claim Olympic gold was Andre Ward, who became the light heavyweight champion at the Athens 2004 Olympics.
So it will also mean the extension of his boxing career, considering Paul had already said he wanted to retire before 2028. If successful, his road to the Olympics will be a big achievement given the controversial nature of his career so far, filled with wins over older MMA fighters and lesser-known boxers.
