Imane Khelif Announces Professional Boxing Debut Against Clarida Sarabia

Posted : 09 November 2026

Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif is set to begin a new chapter in her career after announcing plans to make her professional debut in Paris on December 15.

The 27-year-old Algerian will face undefeated Dutch boxer Clarida Sarabia in a super-welterweight contest, marking her first competitive appearance since winning women's welterweight gold at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Khelif confirmed the fight during a press conference alongside her coach, Kamel Abdesselam, and promoter, Yacin Berrabah. She holds a professional boxing licence issued by the French Boxing Federation.

Her return to competition had initially been planned for April, but a training injury forced her to postpone the comeback. The December contest will therefore represent her long-awaited transition from amateur to professional boxing.

Speaking about the decision, Khelif admitted that being away from the ring for more than two years had been difficult, adding that she was eager to compete again.

She also acknowledged the challenges she had experienced over the past two years but insisted that she was determined to give her professional career everything she had.

Her coach, Abdesselam, believes she has the potential to reach the highest level of professional boxing within a relatively short period. He predicted that Khelif could challenge for a world championship after just three to five fights.

Abdesselam also expressed his ambition to establish the Algerian as one of the leading names in the sport, drawing comparisons between her potential and that of boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

Khelif's Olympic success in Paris came amid intense international debate surrounding her eligibility to compete in women's boxing. The controversy followed her disqualification from the 2023 World Championships by the International Boxing Association over its eligibility criteria.

Despite the scrutiny, she went on to secure Olympic gold in the women's 66kg category, defeating China's Yang Liu in the final.

Her professional debut will take place in the super-welterweight division, marking a change from the weight category in which she won her Olympic title.

Khelif's move into professional boxing also comes as questions remain about her future participation in the Olympic movement. World Boxing has introduced mandatory sex testing for athletes competing in its events, and Khelif has challenged the organisation's testing requirements.

She has previously said she would accept genetic testing if it were administered by the International Olympic Committee. Her coach, however, has indicated that she is not interested in returning to the Olympic Games and would rather concentrate on pursuing professional world titles.

With her first professional contest now scheduled, Khelif will be hoping to translate her Olympic achievements into success in the paid ranks.

Imane Khelif Announces Professional Boxing Debut Against Clarida Sarabia

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