Olympic champion Khelif to make pro boxing debut in December

Paris: Olympic champion Imane Khelif announced Friday she will make her professional boxing debut next month in Paris, her first appearance in the ring since winning welterweight gold in the French capital in 2024.

Algeria's Khelif, who found herself in the middle of a major gender row at the 2024 Olympics, holds a pro licence from France's boxing federation and was forced to postpone her return to action in April after suffering a training injury.

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The 27-year-old said during a press conference alongside her coach Kamel Abdesselam, and promoter Yacin Berrabah that she will take on Clarida Sarabia in the super-welterweight class on December 15.

"It's been over two years since I last boxed, and I've really missed being in the ring," said Khelif.

"The last couple of years have been quite difficult. The time has come to turn professional, and I'm going to give it my all."

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Abdesselam is confident that Khelif could win a world title "within three to five fights" and compared his fighter to Muhammad Ali.

"We want to put Imane on top of the world," said Abdesselam.

Frequently accused of being a transgender athlete, Khelif was born female but naturally carries the SRY gene, located on the Y chromosome that indicates masculinity.

In February, she revealed in an interview with French sports daily L'Equipe that she had undergone hormonal treatment to lower her testosterone levels ahead of the Paris Olympics.