Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) president Christopher Samuda is brimming with optimism following the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to include boxing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games—a move he believes will open doors for Jamaican fighters to step back onto the world’s biggest stage.

Samuda, a long-time advocate for boxing’s growth in Jamaica, expressed excitement over the news, as he praised the work being done locally to nurture talent and strengthen the sport.

"The decision of the IOC Executive Board to include boxing in the LA Olympic Games is great news. Boxing as a combat sport is symbolic of the strength, resilience, and valour of the Olympic spirit and embodies quintessentially the physical culture and traditional history of the Games and movement," Samuda told SportsMax.Tv.

"So, let the bouts begin, as several aspiring Olympic boxers, including our own, have been waiting at ringside to go on the canvas in making their mark," he added.

Jamaica has had a limited presence in Olympic boxing over the years, with Ricardo 'Big 12' Brown being the lone representative at the 2020 Tokyo Games. The nation was absent from the ring in Paris last year, which highlighted the need for a stronger pipeline to the global stage.

However, Samuda believes the country is on the right path.

Ricardo 'Bug 12' Brown in action at the Tokyo Games.

"I’m very impressed with the work of our local association, which continues to build the sport from a pool of talented boxers,” Samuda shared.

"The sport internationally in the past year has taken body blows, but thankfully it was not TKO’d. It has lived to see another Olympic Games," he noted.

The IOC’s decision comes after years of turmoil within the sport’s international leadership. The Russian-led International Boxing Association (IBA) was stripped of its recognition due to financial, governance, and ethical concerns, prompting the IOC to step in and organize the boxing tournaments at the Tokyo and Paris Games.

Now, with the new governing body, World Boxing, being recognized, boxing’s future at the Olympics looks far more stable.

But, the decision needs to be rubber-stamped by a full IOC Session of about 100 members later this week, but that is expected to be a formality.

"The Executive Board of the IOC has made the right decision in the interest of the Olympic movement, and I have no doubt that the members in Session will approve,” Samuda stated.