LAS VEGAS – Eddie Hearn took one look at Omari Jones boxing in Paris last summer and immediately identified him as the Olympian that Matchroom Boxing needed to sign.

The British promoter promptly sent Jones a direct message on social media and requested a meeting. Jones, who won a bronze medal in the 156-pound division, eventually signed with Hearn’s company because he noticed Matchroom made inroads with such top American talents as IBF welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis and WBC lightweight champ Shakur Stevenson.

Seven months after completing his amateur journey by boxing in the Olympics, Jones intends to make a sensational professional debut on the Austin “Ammo” Williams-Patrice Volny undercard Saturday night in Jones’ hometown of Orlando, Florida. Jones, 22, is scheduled to box Italy’s Alessio Mastronunzio (14-5, 4 KOs) in a six-rounder DAZN will stream from Caribe Royale Orlando.

“I definitely feel I can be America’s next boxing superstar,” Jones said while seated beside Hearn during a recent press conference at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas to promote his signing. “It’s something that I’ve grinded for and worked for my whole life. So, like I always say, the ring is just in a different arena. It’s the same ring I’ve been fighting in for the past 14 years. It’s just in a different spot, so I’m ready. I’m ready for the professional game and I’m ready to step in with the big boys. Let’s do it.”

The mild-mannered Jones separated himself in Paris from his three male Olympic teammates, most notably featherweight Jahmal Harvey, who was eliminated by Kyrgyzstan’s Munarbek Seitbek Uulu in the quarterfinals. Uzbekistan’s Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev defeated Jones by split decision in the welterweight semifinals August 6 on his way to winning a gold medal.

Jones believes he did more than enough to win that bout, which would’ve afforded him a chance to become the first American male to win Olympic gold since Oakland’s Andre Ward won the 178-pound final in 2004. The disciplined, rangy boxer-puncher has since become consumed with developing at a rapid rate and building himself into a junior middleweight world champion.

“Orlando, Florida is somewhere that’s not always been a hotbed for talent,” Hearn said. “You go back to [Antonio] Tarver and those kinda guys, but with our relationship with Caribe Royale, I think this young man has the ability to be America’s next boxing superstar. In the Olympics, he won bronze. We believe he should’ve gone on to win gold.

“That’s good news, because [he was] probably a little bit less expensive [to sign]. You know, if [he] would’ve won gold, [he] really would’ve gone to the bank for me, you know? But this young man has it all – exceptional individual, a great talent, and on March the 15th the hero returns at the Caribe Royale.”

Jones’ pro debut will take place immediately before the co-feature of a DAZN stream scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. ET. Edgar Berlanga (22-1, 17 KOs), a super middleweight contender from Brooklyn, is set to oppose Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz (20-0-1, 16 KOs) in a 10-rounder before Milwaukee’s Williams (17-1, 12 KOs) meets Montreal’s Volny (19-1, 13 KOs) in the 10-round main event.