Olympic champion Khelif set for first bout since Paris Games on December 15

PARIS: Imane Khelif is set to return to the ring for the first time since winning gold at the Paris Olympics, with the 27-year-old due to fight on December 15 in the same city where she became the Olympic champion.

Algerian Khelif, who was forced out of a professional bout with Julia Igel in April due to injury, will face 21-year-old Dutch boxer Clarida Sarabia in a six-round professional fight, French media said.

The bout with Sarabia, who holds an undefeated 4-0 professional record, was announced at a press conference in Paris on Friday.

Khelif has not competed at official events since winning gold in the women’s welterweight division at the 2024 Olympics amid a gender dispute over her eligibility, after the International Boxing Association disqualified her from the 2023…