 A top candidate to make the 1992 U.S. Olympic team Vaden instead decided to turn professional, citing dissatisfaction with amateur boxing's newly implemented scoring system, and the sport's political nature as chief among his reasons.Vaden, now campaigning as "The Ultimate", turned pro April 5, 1991 and began his career with 18 consecutive wins.On March 25, 1994 he won the IBF Inter-Continental Junior Middleweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over veteran John Montes.