Lauren Price and Karriss Artingstall: GB Olympic medallists to turn pro after signing with Boxxer

Olympians Lauren Price and Karriss Artingstall have signed deals with Boxxer and will make their professional debuts later this year.

Price won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics while Artingstall picked up a bronze medal.

The duo, both 27, are partners away from boxing and Price told BBC Radio 5 Live it was the "right time" to enter the pro ranks.

"The new journey is to become a world champion," Price said.

"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."

She added: "Women's boxing is right up there and there's no better time to turn."

Price won gold at middleweight in Tokyo but plans to fight at welterweight in the pro ranks while Artingstall intends to compete at featherweight, as she did in the Olympics.

Boxxer were not the only promotional company courting the fighting pair. Eddie Hearn's Matchroom pushed hard to sign them, but Artingstall says the chance to fight on Sky Sports, plus the fact that boxers such as Caroline Dubois and Savannah Marshall are signed to Boxxer, convinced them to join forces with promoter Ben Shalom.

"You take a step back, listen to the right people and that's when you make the right decision. I believe we've made the right decision coming to Sky Sports and Boxxer," she said.

"I'm hoping me and Lauren can stamp our authority in the pro ranks and become the new female stars."