The Team USA Olympian Omari Jones will make his professional debut at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida on March 15, when Austin “Ammo” Williams fights Patrice Volny.
Jones, 22, recently agreed promotional terms with Matchroom, having won an Olympic bronze medal at welterweight at Paris 2024 and a silver medal at the 2021 World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.
Jones is to fight over six rounds against an opponent to be confirmed, and said: “I’m very excited to be fighting in my hometown of Orlando. After fighting so many years overseas getting prepared for the Olympics, I’m ready to make my debut as a professional. I’ll be putting on a great performance for my city. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“What fans can expect from me on March 15 is a masterclass. I want to showcase my skill set along with my speed and power. I want to leave the fans shocked, because of how well I adapt to the professional game; I’ll look like a true veteran. For everything else, they’ll have to wait until March 15th.”
Williams, 28, lost for the first time in 2024 when he confronted Britain’s promising Hamzah Sheeraz, but he started to rebuild when stopping Gian Garrido in November, and in Canada’s Volny has been presented with the opportunity to return to title contention at middleweight.
“Ten years ago, I was blessed with a dream, a dream that spelled out ‘boxing’ in strobe lights,” Williams said. “At that moment, I committed myself to existence through this medium. Every ounce of my focus and energy has been dedicated to achieving this goal. And here we are, announcing the premier of the ‘Ammo Show’.
“The greatness I exude in my shows will serve as inspiration to the global community. The supernatural abilities displayed will allow the wanderer to wander. The viewer will be assured that the unbelievable is possible. March 15 marks the beginning of my life, the art I brought into this world is now ready to be displayed. There will be laughter; there will be tears; there will be an explosive finish in Orlando.”
“This is a fight I specifically asked my team for,” said Volny, 35. “I want to thank Matchroom for making it a reality. I believe it’s a great fight and a logical next step in my career to get where I want to be. It’s a great opportunity for me and on March 15 I intend on seizing that opportunity and showing that I belong at the top of the middleweight division. I will make him pay every second of this fight. Time to go to war.”
“I’m delighted that Omari will be making his pro debut in Orlando,” said Eddie Hearn of Matchroom. “It’s so important to build fighters in their hometowns and give them the opportunity to become a household name right in their own backyard. I’ve said that Omari has all the tools to become a superstar in the States, and on March 15 he has the perfect platform to stake an early claim to that.
“It’s a big night for ‘Ammo’ too. He bounced back brilliantly in Philadelphia and is brimming with confidence that he is ready for these big nights, but Patrice sees this as a massive opportunity of his own, and will be a dangerous customer on March 15.”
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