Imane Khelif has decided to switch to professional boxing competing as a woman.
On 19 March 2026, Algerian female boxer Imane Khelif, the 2024 Olympic gold medalist, will officially make her professional boxing debut on 23 April at an event venue in Paris, according to a report by Lequipe on 17 March.
Khelif has been granted a license by the French Boxing Federation to change her status to a professional boxer. Previous medical reports indicate she has XY chromosomes (typically male) and a condition called Differences in Sex Development (DSD), which gives her some male physical traits. Nevertheless, she has been certified by the IOC to compete in the women's category.
John Dowie, Imane Khelif's coach, said that for this first match, the team is looking for a physically tall and genuinely athletic opponent, not a smaller boxer. This event will be an all-women's boxing night.
This event is an all-women's boxing competition featuring several top-tier fighters, including Estelle Mossely, the undefeated 2016 Olympic gold medalist, and Marine Bopampa, the European super welterweight champion, both competing on the same card.