‘If the facts were laid out’ – Eddie Hearn responds to whether or not he’d sign Imane Khelif after Olympics gender row

Eddie Hearn has answered whether he would consider signing Olympic gold medallist Imane Khelif.

Khelif shot to notoriety after being at the centre of a gender row, despite being cleared to compete at the Paris Olympics.

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This came as a result of failing an unspecified IBA gender test which saw her disqualified from the 2023 World Championships.

The Algerian competed in the women’s 66kg,category in Paris, and romped to a gold medal beating China’s Lang Yiu in the final.

Matchroom Boxing promoter Hearn was asked if he’d considered pursuing her signature if she turns professional, to which he responded to iFL TV: “Yes, if the facts were laid out.

“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.”

On the situation that unfolded in Paris, he added: “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.

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“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. 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.”

The controversy began after her opening fight rival Angela Carini quit after 46 seconds, bursting into tears while claiming it was the ‘most powerful she had been hit’.

It sparked a storm of abuse which was aimed at Khelif, who was forced to become the head of an intense saga while trying to compete.

Khelif insisted she was simply born a female and lashed back at critics as her Olympic journey continued.

The likes of Ebanie Bridges, Nicola Adams and UFC star Israel Adesanya spoke out against her inclusion after seeing misinformation online.

Adesanya even issued an apology to Khelif, after insisting he was not ‘fully informed’ about her situation.

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The International Olympic Committee [IOC] defended the inclusion of herself and fellow female boxer Lin-Yu Ting who was also disqualified from the World Championships, but went on to win a Paris Olympics gold medal.

They even released a lengthy statement justifying their inclusion, while insisting that the competitors were born women.

Tests were conducted at the Championships by the International Boxing Association [IBA], who were stripped by the IOC of their rights to host Olympics boxing after the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games.

This was due to concerns over corruption, judging and incompetence, which now sees boxing without a governing body and at risk of missing out on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Khelif managed to shut out the noise and rally to Olympic glory, and was delighted with her achievement.

She has since declared that she will take legal action against ‘misogynistic, racist and sexist’ online harassment which she experienced during her campaign.