Olympic champion Khelif set for first bout since Paris Games on December 15

Algerian Olympic champion Imane Khelif is scheduled to make her return to professional boxing on December 15, marking her first bout since her gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 27-year-old will compete in Paris, the very city where she claimed the championship title, against Dutch boxer Clarida Sarabia. Khelif, who underwent a professional career hiatus due to an injury-related bout loss in April, will face Sarabia in a six-round professional contest.

Sarabia, with an impressive 4-0 professional record, will be her opponent in the upcoming fight. The match announcement was made at a press conference in Paris on Friday. Khelif, who was stripped of her eligibility to compete in the 2023 World Championships due to a gender dispute, revealed her resilience in a promotional video.

She stated, "Days became weeks, weeks became months. I waited, doubted. But deep inside, the fire never died. Behind closed doors, I kept fighting." World Boxing, which will manage boxing events at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, introduced mandatory sex testing for all boxers in their competitions. Khelif expressed openness to genetic testing if conducted by the IOC.

However, she may not defend her Olympic title in 2028, as she has already filed complaints against World Boxing regarding the gender tests. Her coach, Kamel Abdesselam, revealed that Khelif has no interest in competing in the Games again, as she is already an Olympic champion.