Mild-mannered Orlando boxer Omari Jones eyes gold medal in Paris

Omari Jones is not your stereotypical boxer. He doesn’t seem to have the personality and demeanor of a career pugilist.

Boxers can be considered to be bullies; troublemakers always looking to get into fisticuffs like Mike Tyson. He was a street brawler until famous boxing trainer Cus D’Amato helped channel his aggressions.

Jones’ nickname might suggest a street mentality, but the man they call “Banger” never looked for trouble as an Orlando youth.

He’s friendly, soft-spoken and respected as one of America’s most feared amateur boxers. The Edgewater High grad (Class of 2018), will be looking for gold at the 2024 Olympic Games. He’s one of four United States men’s qualifiers for Paris.

He’s no bully, but watch out when he laces up the gloves.

He’s a well-mannered, good-natured 22-year-old with a bright, friendly smile. He didn’t pick fights as a youngster, nor did trouble come looking for him.

“I guess because everyone knew not to mess with me,” Jones smiled prior to a recent workout at the School of Hard Knocks boxing club in Casselberry. “My friends, they basically knew what I was doing. They knew I was good, too, but I’m not sure they knew how far I was trying to take it. But they always knew I was serious about boxing.”

At 6-foot-1, 156 pounds Jones is not thick with muscle but he is chiseled. He’s not covered in tattoos, either.

He’s calm most of the time.

“I feel like a lot of boxers are like that, until you mess with them,” Jones said.

In 2018, he was the top amateur welterweight in America, winning a national championship in Shreveport, La., during his senior year at Edgewater.

“He’s a good kid and, believe it or not, being a fighter he has never had a fight outside the ring,” said Omari’s father, Karl Jones, Sr. “I’m so very, very proud.”

Karl and Debra Jones raised their sons, including older brothers Karl Jr., 29, and Demetri, 27, to be disciplined. They enrolled all three in karate school at 4. Omari was the only one of the three to turn his karate black belt into a boxing dream by the time he was 8. Karl Jr. is a banker/broker and Demetri is in the medical field.

Mom wasn’t exactly thrilled about her youngest getting into the boxing ring.

“A lot of times we’d be sitting there with a fight getting ready to start and I’d look around, and she’d be gone. She didn’t like watching,” Karl Sr. said. “My mother and her mother and my wife, they always wished he would find something else to do at the early part of it.

“They’re OK though. He’s been doing most of the hurting.”

Mom and dad will be in Paris to see their son vie for a gold medal.

“We’re gonna do it,” Karl Sr., said. “And he’s going to bring it home.”

Omari said he’s ready.

“This is amazing to see where I’ve come from, looking back and how I dreamed of this since I was a child,” Jones said.

His dad felt like “my head was going to explode” when Omari won his Olympic qualifying fight.

“My head was so hot. I can’t describe it. Like my whole body got hot,” Karl Sr. said. “It’s been a long journey. This was the goal we set.”

After failing in his first attempt at Olympic qualifying at the 2023 Pan American Games, Omari succeeded in a seven-day stretch of four qualifying bouts in Italy. He won a 4-1 decision in the championship fight vs. India’s Nishant Dev, sending him to the City of Love.

Yet, with that part of his dream realized, Omari is not finished. He won the silver medal at the World Championships in Serbia last year. Now, he seeks the gold medal position on the podium in France.

At this point, he’s very anxious to get into the ring.

“My jab is on point, my right hand is on point,” Jones said. “I just do a lot of hit-and-don’t-get-hit, in-and-out movement.”

Sounds simple enough.

“For nine minutes, I just focus, focus, focus,” Jones said. “You got to make sure you are on point with everything. One slip up and it could be a big mistake. I just want to be the best Omari Jones possible and coming out with a gold medal.

“I like my chances. I feel like if I’m being the best Omari Jones, nobody can beat me.”

Jason Galarza, owner of Hard Knocks, has coached Jones since 2017.

“He’s top notch and I see him going very far in this sport,” Galarza said. “He’s a worker, non-stop. Sometimes we have to pull him back a little bit. He’s driven to become successful and I believe he will be.”

Galarza has to step back now that Jones will be coached by those put in place by the U.S. Olympic Organizing Committee. He’ll be watching the fights from home.

“It’s going to be fun. He came back after qualifying and gave me a big hug and told me I made his dream come true, and I said, ‘You made my dream come true,’  Galarza said. “Not too many coaches can actually say they trained an Olympian.”

Jones continues to work on his business degree at Valencia College and has a couple of classes left. He also has his own clothing brand, Dollar and A Dream.

“I just want to make sure I’m well-rounded in everything I do,” Jones said.

A gold medal in Paris and the sponsorship opportunities that could come with that would certainly help him achieve financial success.

“I imagine being at the top of the podium,” Jones said. “It’s something I’ve been grinding toward for a long time. I’ve written my chapter in history, but I’m not done yet.”

Chris Hays can be found on X @OS_ChrisHays . He can be reached via email at chays@orlandosentinel.com .