Jared Paul punching his way to a dream Jamaican assistant English teacher in Japan starts pro-boxing career

You might know the saying: “Kill two birds with one stone.”

That is exactly what Jamaican Jared Paul did when he went to Japan.

Paul travelled to the Asian country to become an assistant English teacher about two and a half years ago, but also had the hopes of launching his professional boxing career.

“When I moved to Japan, I saw it as an opportunity to take boxing much more seriously and decided to go all in. I wanted to see how far I could take myself, so Japan became the place where I really committed to pursuing boxing professionally,” Paul said.

This was a continuation of a dream started back home in Jamaica.

“Before moving to Japan, I had approximately one year of boxing experience in Jamaica, training at Suga Boxing Gym in Waterhouse, where I developed the foundation of my boxing.”

Then, when he moved to Asia, he said it has helped him to improve a lot and pass his professional boxing test in November 2025, and then make his professional debut in July.

AMAZING EXPERIENCE

“Training in Japan has been an amazing experience. The boxing culture emphasises discipline, respect, and consistency, which has helped me grow both as a fighter and as a person. I’ve been fortunate to work alongside dedicated coaches and teammates at Mito Boys Boxing Gym, who push me to improve every day,” he said.

“My professional debut was everything I hoped it would be. There were nerves leading up to the fight, but once I stepped into the ring, all the preparation took over. Winning my debut was an incredible feeling and validated the sacrifices and hard work that went into getting there,” he said.

“Starting my professional career 1–0 has given me confidence while reminding me that there is still a lot of work ahead.”

The 28-year-old said though he’s based in Japan, he has hopes of representing Jamaica in the ring one day.

REPRESENTING JAMAICA

“Representing Jamaica would be another dream come true for me. Right now, my focus is on building my career here in Japan and pursuing the heavyweight belt. But if the opportunity ever comes for me to represent Jamaica on a bigger stage, I would be extremely proud to do so,” he said.

Before the boxing career and dreams, Paul played water polo and did swimming competitively at Ardenne High School. These, though, were much different from boxing, but helped him in the ring.

“Each sport contributed something valuable to my boxing. Water polo improved my speed and endurance, and swimming strengthened my cardiovascular fitness, while teaching me how to stay relaxed under physical stress,” he said.

His love for boxing would grow over time.

“I was inspired by the challenge of boxing. It’s one of the purest sports — you can’t hide behind teammates or excuses. Every victory and every loss is yours,” he admitted.

“I fell in love with the discipline, the constant pursuit of improvement, and the opportunity to test myself both physically and mentally. Over time, boxing became more than just a sport; it became a way of life.”

Now he is motivated to keep building on his boxing career.

MOTIVATED

“I’m motivated by the person I’m becoming through boxing. Winning is rewarding, but what drives me most is knowing I’m capable of becoming better than I was yesterday.

“I also want to make my family and the people who have supported me proud. Every challenge, every setback, and every victory is part of a much bigger journey, and that’s what keeps me moving forward,” Paul said.

In the meantime, he balances that hope, while being a teacher.

“I’m currently a professional boxer while also working full-time as an assistant English teacher in Japan. Balancing both careers has taught me the importance of discipline, planning, and making the most of every hour in the day,” he said.