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Top Rank has signed the top-ranked amateur heavyweight in America, two-time national champion Jared Anderson, who will make his professional debut on the October 26th Shakur Stevenson-Joet Gonzalez ESPN+ undercard.
✍️ Welcome 19-year-old top Heavyweight amateur Jared Anderson (@TeamBigBaby2020) to #TeamTopRank!
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) September 25, 2019
The highly-touted Toledo, Ohio native signed a multi-year contract Tuesday afternoon, and will be making his professional debut Saturday, Oct. 26 on @ESPN+. pic.twitter.com/Teq8nO0b9m
Amateur boxing’s heavyweight division tops out at 201 pounds, so he’s technically a cruiserweight by our standards, but it looks as though he’ll be plying his craft among the big boys/
The 19-year-old Anderson, who’s been boxing since 2008, boasts an impressive list of accomplishments in the unpaid ranks and qualified for the Olympic Trials. Despite being a presumptive favorite to represent America in Tokyo, the Toledo, OH native elected to turn pro rather than pursue a berth in the 2020 Games.
Top Rank has been quite aggressive in signing young talent this year, and Anderson looks to be among the most promising pickups yet. It’ll be worth checking out his debut and seeing how Top Rank handles his progression as a professional. Also, he goes by “Big Baby,” so hopefully he’ll be able to redeem the name after its rather thorough tarnishing by Jarrell Miller.