Remember Nick “No Joke” Kay?

He’s the young boxer from Anderson who moved to Las Vegas in 2007 — at the tender age of 17 —in order to learn the ropes of the fight game, so to speak. Like any pugilist, his ultimate goal is to turn professional, and he’s working hard to that end.

But Kay’s a pretty sharp kid. He realizes that success in the squared circle is often forged in the Olympics.

Back when Muhammad Ali was Cassius Clay, he left Rome with the gold. Future champs such as Evander Holyfield and Oscar De La Hoya also caught the world’s attention during the Summer Games.

Now Kay wants to catch the world’s attention, too.

“A lot has happened in the past few months for me,” Kay said. “I’m now trained by the best trainer in the world and former two-time world champion Roger Mayweather. Roger is the uncle and trainer of Floyd Mayweather Jr. I now train at Mayweather Boxing Club here in Vegas which is actually Floyd’s own personal gym.

“I feel that I just get better and better every month, and this is just a blessing from God to be able to be trained by the best and train alongside the best fighters in the world.”

By all accounts Kay could probably start picking up paychecks as a professional boxer sooner than later. I haven’t seem him fight yet, but apparently he’s that good.

Kay, however, is willing to wait. He’s decided representing his country — and the Electric City — should come first.

“Me and my trainers have come to somewhat of a conclusion that I am pretty satisfied with myself,” he said. “We’ve decided that I’m going to hold off on turning pro and qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. This is a huge thing for me and since making this decision my heart is 100 percent set on not just winning a gold medal for my country, but for my hometown of Anderson.”

Back in May when I interviewed Kay for a story, he talked of his desire to be more than a boxer. He wants to parlay that career into a second one as a motivational speaker.

“I’m a very determined person and everything I do I do it hoping that it can influence people in the best way possible,” he said. “Whether I ever win a gold medal or even a professional world title, I’m gonna make a difference in peoples lives.”

We often dismiss the musings of young people who map out grand plans for themselves. After all, dreaming doesn’t cost anything.

But when you talk to Nick Kay, you get the impression that his dreams aren’t that far removed from reality.

You don’t move from Anderson to Las Vegas to become a boxer unless you’re serious.

And when he tells me he wants to qualify for the 2012 Games, I not only believe him but also believe he might just make it happen.

No joke.