Cindy Ngamba Withdraws From Pro Debut After Medical Review
Cindy Ngamba’s planned professional boxing debut did not happen on March 7, 2025. The Paris Olympic bronze medalist was scheduled to face Britain’s Kirstie Bavington at London’s Royal Albert Hall, but promoter Boxxer withdrew her from the card after a pre-fight medical examination raised an issue requiring further investigation. Reuters reported that she would undergo further tests. The cancellation came one day before the all-women’s event.
A debut planned for a landmark card
Ngamba had signed a multi-fight promotional deal with Boxxer in January and was due to box Bavington in an eight-round super-welterweight contest. The matchup was set for the undercard of Natasha Jonas versus Lauren Price, a welterweight title-unification fight. Caroline Dubois and Karriss Artingstall were also scheduled to appear on the bill, which Boxxer and Sky Sports promoted as an all-female card at the Royal Albert Hall.
Ngamba’s fight was a highly anticipated professional debut because she had made history months earlier in Paris. Representing the Refugee Olympic Team, she won bronze in the women’s 75-kilogram boxing tournament. That made her the first athlete competing for the Refugee Olympic Team to win an Olympic medal. The Olympics’ report on her withdrawal recapped the milestone and confirmed the bout was pulled after the medical check.
Boxxer cited a medical concern
Boxxer said in a statement that Ngamba would not fight after the examination identified an issue needing further investigation. The promoter added that she would undergo additional tests and said fighter health and safety remained its priority. The announcement did not provide a diagnosis, and no public details about the medical finding were released in the reports. Ngamba’s withdrawal was therefore a precautionary decision, not a result in the ring.
The planned bout with Bavington would have been an eight-round, non-title fight. Bavington was an experienced professional and former European champion, making the pairing a demanding first assignment for Ngamba. But the scheduled matchup and the debut itself both had to be set aside after the medical review.
The Olympic achievement behind the story
Ngamba was born in Cameroon and lives in England, where she trained with the country’s elite boxing program. Because she did not hold a British passport, she competed in Paris for the Refugee Olympic Team. Her bronze medal came after victories over Canada’s Tammara Thibeault and France’s Davina Michel; she then lost her semifinal to Panama’s Atheyna Bylon. The result still secured a place in Olympic history for the Refugee Team.
Before the cancellation, Ngamba told The Associated Press that she hoped to pursue a world title but wanted to focus on each step in front of her. That patient approach became especially relevant when the medical issue interrupted her transition to the professional ranks. The Associated Press preview covered her planned fight and the goals she had set for her pro career. In April, Ngamba told BBC Sport that she planned to have surgery to correct the issue found during her pre-fight medical and hoped to return to full training later in 2025. She did not publicly identify the condition. That follow-up outlined a possible path back to boxing, but did not announce a new debut date.
Sources
Tags: Boxing, Combat Sports
