Former top amateur Jake Rapple is ready to make his mark in the professional ranks, linking up with Jay Byrne as he sets his sights on lightweight success.
The 24-year-old has signed a professional deal with JB Promotions, taking the next step in his boxing journey. A former Elite champion who honed his craft at Monkstown Boxing Club, Rapple now prepares to trade the amateur vest for the professional game.
For Rapple, boxing has been part of his life since infancy, with Monkstown at the centre of his development and the influence of his family helping shape his path in the sport.
“My da opened Monkstown boxing club so since a baby I’ve always been around boxing following him over since I could walk,” Rapple told Irish Boxing Digest. “My older brother is a boxer as well so it’s just something I’ve always taken to.”
It is a fitting background for a fighter now preparing to begin a new chapter, carrying the experience of the amateur game into a professional career that has always been the ambition for him.
Monkstown foundations
Rapple’s amateur education came at Monkstown BC, where he developed under the guidance of JP Kinsella, the former Irish champion, and James Doyle.
The club has quickly become one of the best in the country and produces Irish champions, Olympians and now professionals.
At 24, Rapple believes the timing is right to now test himself in a different environment.
“Turning professional is something I always imagined for myself and I felt it’s the right time to give it a shot,” he explained.
Lightweight is the intended destination for his debut, although the Dubliner is keeping his options open as he discovers what suits him best in the professional ranks.
“I plan on making my debut at lightweight and seeing how I get on from there.”
A natural fit with JB Promotions
The decision to sign with JB Promotions brings Rapple into a stable led by Jay Byrne, himself a figure with roots in the same South Dublin area as his new recruit.
That shared local connection offers an appealing starting point. For a young professional looking to establish himself, building recognition close to home can be an important part of the journey, particularly when combined with performances capable of winning over a wider audience.
Rapple’s reasoning for choosing Byrne’s promotional outfit was straightforward: activity and opportunity.
“I signed with JB Promotions because I’ve seen how active they are with their shows and the opportunities they’re creating for their fighters.”
For an emerging talent, the chance to remain active and gain valuable rounds in the professional ring can be central to development. The early stages of a career are about more than simply adding victories to a record; they are about learning on the job, building confidence and establishing an identity in front of an audience.
LOOKING TO ENTERTAIN
Ask Rapple what supporters can expect when he steps through the ropes and his answer suggests a fighter who wants to make an impression.
“You can expect an exciting fighter with come forward with educated pressure who will entertain a crowd.”
His intentions are clear: he wants to be a fighter people enjoy watching, one who gives supporters a reason to return.
With his Monkstown background, local connections and a promotional home that will keep him active, Rapple already has several solid building blocks in place as he begins the process of introducing himself to the Irish professional scene.
Looking ahead, Rapple’s main focus now is get his debut done and to stay active.
“A year from now I would love to be looked at as one of Ireland’s best prospects,” he said.
His ideal scenario is equally direct: “Hopefully 4-0 with four great performances and grow a good following of fans with each fight.”
TAKING THE NEXT STEP
For Rapple, the hard work starts now. The amateur honours, the years spent learning his trade at Monkstown and the lessons absorbed under the watchful eyes of those who helped shape him have all brought him to this point. But the professional game offers no guarantees, and the real story of Jake Rapple is only just beginning.
At 24, he is stepping into the unknown with a lifetime of boxing behind him and a dream firmly in front of him. He wants to win, he wants to entertain, and he wants to give the people who come through the doors to watch him something to remember.
There is something special about a fighter who can bring his own people along for the ride, and with his Monkstown roots, Rapple will hope to build that bond one fight at a time. He has the potential to become a name that Irish boxing fans recognise, believe in and get behind.
The journey will begin under the lights, when the years of sacrifice, the hours in the gym and a childhood spent around the sport finally give way to the sound of the opening bell.
He has grown up around boxing. He has represented Monkstown with distinction. Now, with Jay Byrne and JB Promotions behind him, Jake Rapple gets the chance to build something of his own.
The dream has been there since he was a boy. Now it is time to chase it.
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