Lauren Price: Tokyo Olympics boxing champion reveals approach from promoter Eddie Hearn

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Media caption,

Lauren Price received a hero's welcome when she arrived back home

Olympic boxing champion Lauren Price says with promoter Eddie Hearn has been in contact about the prospect of turning professional.

The Welsh middleweight won gold in Tokyo and says while her heart remains in the amateur ranks she is "keeping her options open".

"I've had a lot of people message me - obviously the big man as well, Eddie Hearn, stuff like that," said Price.

She also reiterated a desire to defend her title at the 2024 Paris Games.

That would mean putting professional prospects and ambitions on hold with 27-year-old Price telling BBC Radio Wales Breakfast: "I'm sure as an athlete three years is nothing."

She added: "I'm still young and for me Paris is only three years away so I could be a double Olympian.

"There's a lot of opportunities there, but for now I'm just enjoying the moment. I'll take a few weeks off and chill out and then go from there.

"But for me, I love what I do - I've got a great life training in Sheffield, training with world class coaches in a world class programme.

"I can't thank GB Boxing enough so for me there's everything that's coming up as well."

Staying as an amateur would mean Price competing for Wales at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham as well as the forthcoming European and World Championships.

In the wake of her Tokyo triumph Price stated her intention to seek another gold in Paris.

However, the interest of Matchroom promoter Hearn will grab the attention of those hoping to see Price turn professional and maximise her earning potential.

"He's asked to have a chat with me and stuff like that," said Price.

"He's obviously the main man and I don't know; it's opened my options up, but for now I'm just going to take some rest and enjoy the moment."

Media caption,

GB's Lauren Price beats China's Li Qian to win gold in the women's middleweight boxing

She added: "When you win an Olympic medal and that it changes your life doesn't it, and starting off as a pro, if you've got that type of background, you've reached the top in the amateur game... then the price, as you say, will be pretty interesting."

Price is mindful of the example set by Nicola Adams, who made history by winning gold at London 2012 and defended her title four years later at the Rio Games.

Likewise Ireland's Katie Taylor won gold in London and also fought in Rio de Janeiro.

Price also noted the commercial contrast between men's and women's professional boxing.

"For now my heart is obviously staying on with Team GB and doing another Olympics," said Price.

"You look at the likes of Nicola Adams and Katie Taylor. They both did two cycles and Katie Taylor at the minute she is smashing it up in the pros as well.

"Being a man, it's different. In the women's game it's big, it's getting bigger and bigger all the time so another three years it will be bigger again and (I can) just go from there then."

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