Next mission: Karriss Artingstall signs professional contract with Boxxer
Former British Army gunner Karriss Artingstall is ready to take over the professional featherweight division after signing a professional boxing deal with Boxxer.
At last year's delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she narrowly lost out on a chance to fight for gold as Japan's Sena Irie edged a 3-2 split-decision win in the semi-final in the Kokugikan Arena.
Artingstall, 27, who served with the Royal Artillery, made history when she became the first-ever female Army boxer to qualify for an Olympic Games.
Along with fellow Olympian and partner away from boxing, Lauren Price, Artingstall said they had received a lot of promotional offers, so many that she "couldn't put a number on it".
Talking to BBC 5 Live Sport she said: "There was just people hitting us from all different directions with different offers, and selling us the fairytale basically, selling you the dream."
Boxxer were not the only promotional company wanting to sign the Olympians with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom pushing to sign them.
Artingstall credits 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 at Boxxer.
"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 to BBC 5 Live Sport.
Back in August, the former gunner said "she couldn't be prouder" to be part of the service as she returned home to Macclesfield.
The bronze medalist said the Army's help had been crucial and hoped she would be a role model for people to follow in her footsteps.
Watch: 'Army's been the backbone': Olympic medalist Karriss Artingstall on return home last summer.
Artingstall will be on a show in Manchester in June, while Lauren Price, who won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, will make her debut in early May.
The Olympians, Artingstall and Price made history together as the first same-sex couple to win Olympic medals in boxing and again make history as the first couple to sign with a major professional boxing promotion.
British Army Sport was sure to wish Karriss the "very best of luck for the future" after seeing the official announcement.
Karriss was announced as Sportswoman of the Year at this year's UKAF Sports Awards in London.
She tweeted that she was "immensely proud and there couldn't be a better timing as my military career draws to an end".
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