Boxing: Khelif set for professional debut

Imane Khelif is set to make her debut since her much-discussed Olympic victory in Paris in 2024.

Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif is set to make her professional debut. The Algerian gold medallist from Paris will face Clarida Sarabia in the French capital on 15 December. The 27-year-old announced this on Friday at a press conference alongside her coach Kamel Abdesselam and promoter Yacin Berrabah. The bout will take place in the super-welterweight division.

For Khelif, this will be her first appearance in the ring since her much-discussed Olympic victory in the welterweight division in the summer of 2024. During the Paris Olympics, Khelif was at the centre of a controversial and heated debate about gender and eligibility to compete.

The Algerian, who was born female, had repeatedly been incorrectly labelled a transgender athlete. According to her own statements, she possesses the SRY gene. This indicates the presence of the Y chromosome, which serves as an indicator of male sex.

Following discussions about Khelif: New rules for the Olympics

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) subsequently introduced genetic sex testing to clarify eligibility for women’s competitions. The new rules will apply from the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and cover both individual and team sports.

“The last few years have been quite difficult. Now it’s time to turn professional, and I’m going to give it my all,” said Khelif, who holds a professional licence from the French Boxing Federation: “It’s been over two years since I last boxed. And I’ve really missed being in the ring.”