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Olympic Gold medal-winning boxer Lauren Price MBE has announced she is turning professional.

Having achieved everything possible at the amateur level after being crowned European, World and Olympic champion, Price finally made the leap to the pro stage last Saturday alongside fellow competitor, and partner, Karriss Artingstall.

The pair have signed a deal with professional boxing company BOXXER and Sky Sports.

In February, Price, from Ystrad Mynach, was shortlisted for the St David Awards – just two months after being made an MBE.

Before going into boxing full-time, Price played football for Cardiff City and won 52 caps for Wales. She also became world kickboxing champion aged 12, but switched from kickboxing to boxing aged 16.

In 2014, Price quit football to fully focus on boxing – a decision which was met with immediate reward at the 2014 Commonwealth Games when she became the first Welsh woman ever to win a boxing medal at the games.

Her 2014 bronze medal was surpassed four years later when she won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, followed by gold at the 2019 World Championships. 

The crowning glory of her amateur career came at the 2020 Summer Olympics , when she won a gold medal for Great Britain in the middleweight division. 

Price was later named Olympian of the Year and won the BBC Cymru Wales’ Sports Personality of the Year award.

Adding to the historic nature of their individual achievements, Price and Artingstall made history together as the first same-sex couple to win Olympic medals in boxing and now make history again as the first same-sex couple to sign with a major professional boxing promotion.

On the new contact, Price said: “I’m really delighted to sign with BOXXER as Ben Shalom seems to be stamping his authority as a promoter in the boxing scene, especially on the female side of things

“As an amateur I ticked every box, winning consecutive golds at the Commonwealth Games, Europeans, Worlds and Olympics. 

“Sky Sports is a massive platform with all the ingredients to turn someone like myself into a superstar so I can’t wait to get the show on the road and aim for those world titles.”

Sky Sports Head of Boxing Development, Adam Smith, described getting Price and Artingstall onboard as “one of the most exciting announcements yet in the flourishing Sky/Boxxer partnership.”

He went on to say how Sky had been pushing to sign Price for sometime, and believe they have “struck gold” with her signing.