Steven Donnelly: Olympic boxer Donnelly to turn professional

Steven Donnelly lands a punch during his Olympic quarter-final defeat by Mohammed Rabii

Olympic fighter Steven Donnelly is in talks with promoters after deciding to join the professional ranks.

The 28-year-old Commonwealth Games bronze medallist competed for Ireland at the Rio Games and reached the welterweight quarter-finals.

"I have done everything I can do in the amateur game," said the Ballymena man.

Ireland team-mates Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan have already signed their first professional contracts since returning from Brazil.

"I'm now looking forward to going pro and I know for a fact that I will be a better pro than I was an amateur," he added.

"The longer rounds will suit me as you can take your time and settle into the fight.

"At the minute I'm in negotiations with two American promoters and I still have lots of questions to ask them because it is my career on the line after all.

"If that doesn't work out then I can go the same route as Paddy Barnes and stay on these shores, but hopefully I will know what I'm doing in the next couple of weeks."