Just months ago, she faced intense criticism from the world, but now, everything seems to have flipped completely. Algerian boxer and 2024 Paris Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif sparked controversy after her opponent, Angela Carini, withdrew from their opening bout in under a minute following a single punch from Khelif.

While the 25-year-old would go on to secure gold in the women’s welterweight division, her success was overshadowed by the gender row she had to endure. The International Boxing Association (IBA), who was banished from Olympics boxing due to allegations of corruption, disqualified her from the 2023 World Championships, claiming she had failed a gender eligibility test. 

Eddie Hearn is open to signing Khelif

Therefore, her participation in the 2024 Olympics led to several pieces of misleading information circulating online about her gender, with some suggesting she is a transgender or intersex fighter. However, there was no evidence to support any of those allegations other than the 2023 reports made public by the IBA. Anyway, despite the controversy, the International Olympic Committee had backed Khelif and her participation in the games.

After the Olympics fiasco, Khelif has become somewhat of a celebrity, with fans eager to learn more about her life. Fast forward to today, Khelif’s coach, Dr. Pedro Diaz, hopped on Instagram to share training footage of the 25-year-old. This comes after Khelif announced she will be turning pro during a press conference on 20th October. 

“I will soon enter the world of professional boxing,” Khelif wrote on X. “I have many offers. Currently, I have not made up my mind about where I will enter professional boxing. But very soon I will take this step. We, as Algerians, would like to see our level in the field of professionalism.” Luckily for Khelif, Matchroom honcho, Eddie Hearn has expressed openness to signing Khelif in his promotion. 

Regardless, while sharing Khelif’s latest training footage on Instagram, Diaz, wrote, “Mastering the art of movement with Imane Khelif—focusing on angles and footwork to control every inch of the ring.” Meanwhile, in the clip, the boxer and coach duo can be seen on the pads, as Khelif trained fighting on the backfoot.

This clip quickly started making the rounds on social media, with fans from all over sharing praise for the 25-year-old and her trainer.

Imane Khelif gets crowned as a queen

With Khelif potentially entering the professional boxing scene, people didn’t shy away from showing their support for the 25-year-old. One user thanked Diaz for the role he played in shaping Khelif’s career. “Pedro! I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks for taking care of our queen,” the user commented. Pedro Diaz has stood by Khelif throughout her Olympic run and can be credited partly for her success. 

Another user shared their thoughts on Khelif’s professional debut. “Our strong beautiful queen can’t wait to see you fight again😍,” the user commented. It’s currently unclear when or where Khelif may fight again. 

Someone else expressed their admiration for Khelif. “She’s simply the best. Love watching her in the ring 💛💛💛,” the user commented. Interestingly, Khelif is the first Algerian female to win a medal in boxing. 

The next user wished Khelif and Diaz the best for Khelif’s professional debut. “Thank you coach for sharing! [I] can’t wait to see Imane in professional boxing! good luck my love ❤️,” the user wrote. Given her current popularity, Khelif could draw some big fights. 

One user credited Diaz for shaping Khelif’s career. “Thank you Mr. Pedro for offering us a champion,” the user commented. Diaz, who runs a Miami-based Mundo Boxing Gym, started training Khelif back in February 2023. 

That being said, Imane Khelif seems to have become a sweetheart among her fans after she had to go through a pretty debilitating few months in the Olympics. However, where her professional boxing career leads is yet to be seen. Would you be down to watch it?