Controversial Imane Khelif, Olympic champion in Paris, will make the transition to professional boxing
Article by David Istrate – Published on Tuesday, 17 March 2026 22:27 / Updated on Tuesday, 17 March 2026 22:30
Imane Khelif (26), the Paris Olympic champion and the protagonist of a major scandal at the 2024 Olympic Games, will make the step to professional boxing and will have her first fight on April 23.
Two years ago, Imane Khelif managed to win the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, having an excellent track record in the welterweight boxing competition. At the same time, the Algerian was in the middle of a huge scandal, being accused of being transgender and having changed her sex.
Imane Khelif will have the first professional fight of his career in April 2026
The problems did not stop after the competition ended, they continued and over the last 15 months, Khelif has been subjected to false accusations from various organizations, the International Boxing Association (IBA) being one of them.
“The International Boxing Association, an organization I am no longer associated with and no longer recognized by the International Olympic Committee, has again made baseless allegations that are false and offensive, using them to further their agenda. This is a situation that concerns not only me, but also the principles of fairness and fair treatment in sport“, the 26-year-old pugilist defended himself.
Meanwhile, according to Marca, Imane Khelif has decided to take the step towards professional boxing and on April 23 he will have his first fight. This will take place in Paris, the city where she became Olympic boxing champion.
Estelle Mossely, another Olympic champion, will also participate in the event organized by Brahim Asloum. She has a record of 11 wins and a draw since making the transition to professional boxing.
According to L'Equipe, Khelif underwent hormone treatment to reduce his testosterone levels. She has the SRY gene, located on the Y chromosome, which initiates male sex determination.
