Jake Paul announces plans to compete at 2028 Olympics and win boxing gold
YouTuber-turned boxer Jake Paul has announced his plans to compete at the 2028 Olympics slated to be held in Los Angeles, California.
The multi-hyphenate first began his boxing career in 2018 where he faced off against YouTuber Deji Olatunji in a white-collar, debut match.
He has since gone pro and currently holds a career record of 10-1 in professional fights.
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On the latest episode of his podcast BS W/ Jake Paul, the 27-year-old surprisingly expressed his desire to compete at the next Olympics, explaining that he's fed up with Team USA's lackluster streak.
"I'm going to enter the 2028 Olympics for boxing in Los Angeles. I'm sick and tired of waiting for another gold for Team USA," Paul shared on the podcast.
The YouTuber then confirmed that he's 'not retiring,' and added 'a couple more years to [his] boxing career' with his sights now set on the Olympics.
"You heard it here first — gold medal, you're mine brother," he added.
Paul typically fights around the 200 pounds (90kg) category, which would put him in the Olympics' heavyweight division.
The United States hasn't won a boxing medal in the heavyweight division since Deontay Wilder scored a bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The last time Team USA won gold in the category was in 1988 when Ray Mercer triumphed as a heavyweight in the Seoul Olympics.
The United States' qualifying process for the 2024 Olympics involved applicants having to meet six minimum eligibility requirements and finishing in the top two of qualifier tournaments for their weight category.
It's unclear what the process will be like for the 2028 Olympics, but we can expect Paul to try his best at getting his way in.
Paul's next scheduled bout is against boxing legend Mike Tyson on November 15 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Their fight will be streamed globally on Netflix.
His resume is starting to look really long.
Yasmeen Hamadeh