Algerian boxer Iman Khalif is preparing to return to the ring through the professional portal, with her first fight on December 15 in Paris, after an absence from competitions since she won gold in the 2024 Olympics, amid her coach’s ambitions to compete with her for a world title in a few fights.
Published on: 07/11/2026 - 13:58
After being absent from competitions since the Paris Olympics, Algerian boxer Iman Khalif, crowned Olympic gold medalist, is preparing to fight her first professional fight on December 15 in the French capital, Paris, while her coach Kamal Abdel Salam hopes that she will be able to win a world title “very soon.”
Khalif (27 years old), who has repeatedly faced campaigns questioning her sexual identity, postponed her first professional fight last April, after suffering an injury during training.
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The date of the fight was confirmed during a press conference held on Friday in Paris, with the participation of Khalifa, who holds a professional license from the French Boxing Federation, her coach Kamal Abdel Salam, and the event organizer Yassine Belrabeh. The fight is scheduled to take place at the Maison de la Mutualite hall.
The Algerian boxer stated, "It has been more than two years in which I have not practiced boxing, and I have missed the ring. I live for this sport, and I long to return to it for myself and for my fans. The last years (after the 2024 Paris Olympics) and this period of hiatus have been very difficult. It is time to move to the professional world, and I will do my best."
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Although she won her Olympic gold in the weight category of less than 66 kilograms, Khalif will fight her next fight in the “super welter” category (under 69.8 kilograms), where she will face Dominican boxer Clarida Sarabia, who holds Dutch citizenship.
For his part, coach Kamal Abdel Salam praised Sarbia, saying, “She is a high-level boxer who has never been defeated before, as she achieved four victories, all by knockout, so she represents a real challenge, but we have complete confidence in Iman.”
The coach considered that Algerian boxing is capable of winning a world title “very soon,” noting that “this may be achieved within three to five fights, as it has the necessary capabilities for that.”
As Rabah said: “We aspire to put Iman on top of the world, and she can be likened to Muhammad Ali.”
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It is noteworthy that Iman Khalif has not competed in any fight since winning the gold medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics, and she was also unable to participate in the Eindhoven Championship in June 2025, due to the International Boxing Federation adopting, a week before that, a mandatory chromosomal test.
Despite repeated accusations that she is a transgender athlete, the boxer was born female, but she naturally carries the SRA gene, which is an indicator of masculinity.
In February, she revealed in statements to L'Equipe that she had undergone hormone treatment to lower her testosterone levels before the 2024 Olympics.
France 24/AFP
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