Eddie Hearn reveals he’s keen to promote Olympics 2024 gender row boxer Imane Khelif following Paris gold
EDDIE HEARN has revealed he's open to adding Imane Khelif to his Matchroom stable.
The Algerian boxed her way to welterweight gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics earlier this month, although her participation at the Games was mired in controversy.
Khelif, along with Taiwan's Lin Yu-Ting, allegedly failed a gender identity test conducted by the IBA in March 2023 - testing positive for male XY chromosomes.
The Russian-backed organisation has refused to divulge the results of the test and put an end to the furore surrounding 25-year-old Khelif, who was born a biological woman.
Khelif will now be mulling over the possibility of turning pro, a journey Hearn is willing to facilitate - on one condition.
When asked if he'd sign the Olympian, he told iFL TV: "Yes, if the facts were laid out.
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"If it was in a position where there is no reason why this individual shouldn't compete as a female.
"One, she is a talented fighter.
"Two, commercially I think she has up to two Instagram million followers so the answer is yes.
"But I mean there is probably facts that we don't know around the situation and if they are true.
"But if a fighter was deemed female with no physical advantages, but again I haven't seen anything, I have only seen people say 'they have done this test'.
"Do we get to see it? Are we just going to believe that narrative?
"It's not ever one that I'd go I'm not getting involved in this conversation."
Khelif was subjected to several libellous claims - some of which she plans to take to court - on social media after Italian Angela Carini quit their bout after a mere 46 seconds.
Hearn said of the situation in Paris: "If there is an unfair physical advantage that the individual is, that is what has to be looked at.
"But not by a rival organisation, or someone with an agenda. But if you are born a female and lived your whole life as a female it's different.
"I'm not going to say what is right or wrong, but the facts that I have seen lean me towards you have the right to compete as a female.
"So I don't know but also I will say this individual has competed on the circuit for years. It's not like she's dominated the scene, she's lost many times.
"Other fighters came out and said, 'I've sparred her or beat her.' I feel like the Italian was a put-up job.
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"Because it wasn't even really a huge shot, and this person has sparred her before.
"But we need more information about it and a conversation about it."
