Lauren Price after defeating China’s Li Qian to win Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020
The 27-year old won middleweight gold in Tokyo, becoming the first Welsh fighter to win an Olympic boxing gold medal.
Price, who was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours list, told BBC Sports Wales that she would announce her signing in the next few weeks.
“I’ve achieved all I can as an amateur, I’ve won gold at every single major tournament,” Price said. “Winning Olympic gold changed my life.”
Price has also won gold at the Commonwealth Games 2018 and is the reigning world champion.
She is also a former kickboxing world champion and played international football for Wales.
“Being an Olympic champion has been a dream of mine since childhood, sitting in my living room with my nan and grandad at eight years of age and seeing Kelly Holmes win gold. I was stunned as a child, every night of the week I’d be out training doing kickboxing or football training or the gym,” she said.
According to BBC Sport Wales, Price is set to follow in the footsteps of London 2012 gold medal winner Katie Taylor, the Irish boxer who has become an undisputed world champion.
“I was the first Welsh person to win Olympic boxing gold and maybe I can be the first [Welsh] female to become a world champion as well,” said Price.
Price still intends to train in Sheffield with Team GB boxing coach Rob McCracken. She said the challenge of turning professional is one that excites her.
“Winning Olympic gold changed my life. The money is there now for women’s boxing,” she said.
“It’s an exciting time in general for women’s boxing and a lot of people are saying to me we’ve got it good, the money is there for the women that has never been there before.
“I won the Olympics and thought ‘what do I do now?’. But the professional challenge, it excites me, I am really looking forward to it.”
If Price turns professional before the 2022 Commonwealth Games, to be held in Birmingham from July 28 to August 8, she may not be able to defend her 2018 gold medal.
Boxing at this year’s Commonwealth Games is set to be held at the National Exhibition Centre.
