Paris (France) (AFP) - The Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who has not been in a ring since her gold at the Paris 2024 Games, will compete again on December 15, precisely in the French capital, in her first fight as a professional.

First modification: 06/11/2026 - 14:45

Target of attacks on her gender in Paris-2024, the 27-year-old Olympic champion had to postpone her first professional fight in April after an injury in training.

Holder of a women's professional license issued by the French Boxing Federation, Imane Khelif will fight on December 15 at the Maison de la Mutualité, the boxer, her coach Kamel Abdesselam and the organizer of the event, Yacin Berrabah, announced on Friday at a press conference in Paris.

She will face six two-minute rounds (compared to three three-minute rounds in amateurs), against Clarida Sarabia, licensed in the Netherlands.

"I haven't boxed for two or so years, and I've missed the ring a lot. The last few years have been quite complicated. The time has come to turn professional, I'm going to give it my all," declared Imane Khelif.

After obtaining his Olympic medal in the -66 kg category, next month he will fight in super welterweight (-69.8 kg).

Khelif was unable to participate in the Eindhoven tournament in June 2025 due to the introduction, a week earlier, of a mandatory chromosome test by the international World Boxing federation.

Accused of being a transgender athlete, the boxer was born a woman but naturally carries the SRY gene, considered an indicator of masculinity.

In February, he had revealed in L'Équipe that he had resorted to hormonal treatment to reduce his testosterone level before the 2024 Olympic Games.

For the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, the International Olympic Committee announced in March that it will reinstate femininity tests that will include, among others, searching for the SRY gene.

Asked by AFP about her intentions regarding that appointment, Khelif responded that she wanted to "focus on her professional career."

© 2026 AFP

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