Tokyo Olympians Lauren Price and Karriss Artingstall sign pro deals with Boxxer following amateur success
BySportsbeat
Updated 03/04/2022 at 18:51 GMT
Middleweight Lauren Price won gold for Great Britain at the 2020 Summer Olympics while featherweight compatriot Karriss Artingstall claimed bronze. And now both feel the time is right to make an entrance into the potentially lucrative pro scene, where they will work with Boxxer and promoter Ben Shalom.
Lauren Price (L) and Karriss Artingstall (R).
Image credit: Eurosport
Lauren Price and Karriss Artingstall believe the time is right to turn professional after the Tokyo Olympic medallists announced they have signed long-term promotional deals.
Price and Artingstall were unveiled as the newest signings to the Boxxer roster ahead of WBO World Middleweight champion Savannah Marshall's victory over Femke Hermans.
Price won gold in the middleweight division at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games while Artingstall secured bronze in the highly competitive women's featherweight division.
The duo, both 27, are partners away from boxing and said the time was right to enter the pro ranks after reaching the pinnacle of the sport as amateurs in Tokyo.
"Women's boxing is right up there and there's no better time to turn (pro)," the Welsh fighter said. "The new journey is to become a world champion.
"I won gold [at Tokyo]. The money in the professional ranks is life-changing. It was a no-brainer really and as an amateur I ticked everything off.
"I reached the pinnacle of the sport becoming an Olympian, going to the Olympic Games and winning gold, it was the right time to turn pro."
While Price won Olympic gold at middleweight, the 2018 Commonwealth Games and 2019 world champion plans to compete at featherweight when she makes her pro debut later this year.
"Tokyo is done now and it's the next chapter. It was a dream come true of mine, it's been a dream since I was eight to go to the Olympics, let alone win gold," Price added.
"To do that, it was only what I ever looked up to, so now it's the next chapter, the new journey to become world champion. Tokyo seems like a lifetime ago now."
Artingstall claimed silver in the 2019 European Championships and bronze in the World Championships before winning bronze at the Tokyo Olympic Games last year.
"You take a step back, listen to the right people and that's when you make the right decision," said Artingstall, who intends to compete at featherweight as she did at the Olympics.
"I believe we've made the right decision coming to Sky Sports and Boxxer. I'm hoping me and Lauren can stamp our authority in the pro ranks and become the new female stars."
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