Imane Khelif schedules professional debut in Paris

Imane Khelif is scheduled to make her professional boxing debut against Clarida Sarabia in Paris on December 15, 2026, returning to competition after winning Olympic gold in 2024. The announced superwelterweight bout will be Khelif’s first fight as a professional and her first competitive appearance since the Paris Games. Khelif, 27, announced the fight at a press conference on November 6 alongside coach Kamel Abdesselam and promoter Yacin Berrabah. The contest is scheduled for Paris, the city where she won the women’s welterweight title. One report identified Maison de la Mutualité as the venue and described the bout as six rounds; Sarabia, 21, was reported to have four professional wins and no losses. Khelif said at the press conference that more than two years had passed since her last bout and that she had missed boxing. She said the intervening period had been difficult and that she was ready to turn professional. She has not competed since winning gold at the 2024 Olympics. A planned professional appearance in April was postponed after a training injury, according to reports. Khelif has since obtained a professional licence from the French Boxing Federation, one report...