Matchroom’s highly-touted Olympian signing made his professional debut on the Ammo Williams vs Patrice Volny undercard, but fans were not satisfied with how it ended.
Matchroom has collected a crop of Olympians from the 2024 games, signing Britain’s Pat Brown, Australia’s Teremoana Teremoana, and the American Omari Jones.
Eddie Hearn said of one of these men: “I watched this man in Paris, straightaway I thought this kid is a world champion in waiting, we have to sign this young man.”
Jones won a bronze medal in the welterweight division in Paris last year, but his professional debut is a bit more bittersweet.
“Investigate this ref”… Fans are left unimpressed with early stoppage in Omari Jones’ debut
Jones faced the first test of his professional career on Matchroom’s card in Orlando, as he fought Alessio Mastronunzio, a 14-5 fighter with three stoppage losses, one of which came from rising contender Xander Zayas.
Jones took Mastronunzio to the second round, where after landing a flurry of punches in the center of the ring, the ref decided to stop the action, leaving many fans scratching their heads.
One wrote: “Early stoppage, at least a standing 8 or something. Was only the second round”
Whilst others were more understanding of the ref’s call: “Didn’t like the stoppage but he was going to TKO the guy.”
At least Jones didn’t follow the path of Anthony Hembrick, an Olympic captain who was knocked out in seconds after a dance routine in the ring.
Matchroom’s other Olympic signings will both fight this month
Matchroom boasts two more highly-touted Olympian signings.
Manchester’s Pat Brown is set to make his professional debut this month against Vladimir Reznicek, a 15-6-2 fighter.
Brown has vowed ‘to bring back them Ricky Hatton days’ ahead of his debut.
The other Olympian, Teremoana, joined the pro ranks in 2020 and has built up a record of 6-0, every one of his knockouts coming by way of knockout.
Teremoana is set to return on the undercard of George Kambosos Jr., whose most recent win against Maxi Hughes caused outrage, this month, too.