One realm conquered, another one in sight. Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxing sensation, took the Paris 2024 Olympics by storm for both right and wrong reasons. While her gender controversy became the focal point, her talent overshadowed the chatter. The 25-year-old won the gold medal in the welterweight division and is now preparing to defend her crown at the LA 2028 games, aiming to become a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

However, this time, Khelif faces even greater challenges, both inside the ring and beyond. US President Donald Trump’s attempt to ban her from the 2028 Olympics has only strengthened her resolve. Unfazed, she delivered a powerful message to all her doubters, ready to conquer the next stage.

Imane Khelif isn’t afraid

On Wednesday, the Algerian fighter took to her Instagram to post several pictures of herself from her latest practice session. Khelif appeared intensely focused and determined. The powerful caption, a French phrase, “La peur ne vit pas ici,” which roughly translates to “Fear does not live here,” accompanied the carousel of images. Not only did the caption show her resolve, but it was a direct response to a controversial new policy enacted by US President Donald Trump.

Last month, Trump signed an executive order prohibiting transgender women from competing in the female sports category. While he did not explicitly mention Imane Khelif, Trump has previously made remarks about a certain 25-year-old boxer who he had claimed transitioned from male to female, something which has been vehemently refuted by Khelif.

After the executive order, she fired back at the US President, claiming, “I am not transgender. This does not concern me, and it does not intimidate me. That is my response.” She didn’t stop there and promised to win her second medal in Los Angeles. However, this time, she is going to do it in a completely different category.

Pro dreams put on hold for second gold

On Wednesday, Imane Khelif showcased her desire to move up a weight category to Marca. “With the change in weight classes, I have to compete at 70kg. In Paris, I won at 66kg, but I don’t think this increase will be difficult for me,” she stated.

Coincidentally, Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, the 2024 Olympics featherweight champion who also faced gender scrutiny, will also move up to 70kg. Khelif and Lin were banned from the Women’s World Championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA) in 2023 for allegedly failing a gender eligibility test, which, according to them, showed they had male chromosomes.

However, the 2024 Olympics, free from IBA oversight, allowed both athletes to compete in Paris. “I’m 1.80m tall and I’m studying with the team how to best adapt to the new division,” Khelif added regarding her transition to the new weight class. The change came after the welterweight class for LA 2028 has been set at 60-65kg. However, at this moment, she is still weighing her options between the light-middleweight (65-70kg) or middleweight (70-75kg) divisions.

After capturing the gold in Paris, Khelif decided to turn pro, but held back to capture her second gold. “I’m focused on achieving a second Olympic gold in 2028, as well as preparing for the transition to professional,” she stated.

Determined to surpass her Paris performance, she stated, “What I want is to do a perfect job, to arrive in better shape than I did in Paris, given that I now have greater mental and physical balance. For the transition to professional, I’ll be waiting for a good contract, and the best offer will convince me,” she concluded.

Well, if Imane Khelif can reproduce her dominant Paris performance, many promotions will be ready to sign her. For now, her sights are set on LA 2028, where she aims to silence her critics once and for all.

What do you think about her statement? Let us know your thoughts down below.