Team GB's Olympic boxer Josh Kelly has announced his decision to turn pro and join Matchroom Boxing.
The 22-year-old reached the last 16 of the welterweight competition in Rio, where he was eliminated by eventual gold winner Daniyar Yeleussinov.
Kelly's first pro match under promoter Eddie Hearn will come in the undercard of Ricky Burns's world super-lightweight unification bout with Julius Indongo in Glasgow on April 15.
"I want to get fans across the whole of Britain and beyond to want to watch me and come to my fights," said Kelly. "I think they'll see flash and flair, and there will be KOs too. I can mix it up and fight to different gameplans. There's going to be ups and downs because I'm a bit of a rollercoaster ride, but when I put my mind to it I know can do a lot in the sport. I've got the right people around me and all the boxes are ticked for success.
"I drew the eventual champion in the Olympics and I really think that there were just two or three punch difference in each of the rounds, it could've been a different story but that's how it goes. I've moved on from that.
"I could've stayed amateur and I think I would've have got to the Commonwealth Games and the next Olympics. When I was switched on and focused I don't think anyone in Britain or Europe could come close to me."
Kelly will be trained by Adam Booth, who also serves as coach to WBO middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders.
Neil Wilkes
