Ramla Ali, who fled Somalia as a baby, becomes a unified world boxing champion at 36

Ramla Ali, the London boxer who fled war-torn Somalia as a baby and went on to become an Olympian, author and campaigner, is a world champion at last. The 36-year-old beat Mikiah Kreps on a split decision in Arlington, Texas, to win the WBO and IBF super-bantamweight titles.

Ali fell to her knees in tears as the scorecards were read out, 97-92 and 96-93 in her favour, with a third judge scoring it 98-91 for Kreps. She dedicated the win to her father, who died in May.

"I did it for my dad"

"When we were in the changing room, my coach said, because my dad passed away in May, 'Do this for him'," Ali told BBC Sport. "That's where those emotions came out at the end, because I did it for my dad."

"I can't put into words what this means to me and what this means to all of Somalia," she said. "I've hopefully inspired so many young girls and boys out there to dream big and that's all I've ever wanted to do."

A hard-fought night

It was far from easy. Ali put the previously unbeaten American down in the third round with a flush left hook, taking a 10-8 round. Kreps protested the call, but replays showed the shot forced her glove to touch the canvas as she tried to steady herself.

Kreps then came storming back with constant pressure and outlanded Ali over the fight, 115 punches to 78. Ali admitted every round was a mental battle to get up off her stool.

"I remember going to the corner every round and I remember saying 'I'm so tired, I can't do this'. All my coach responded was 'think about your dad, do this for your dad'. I think that really pushed me," she said. "I really boxed out of my skin."

From refugee to world champion

Ali's family escaped Somalia when she was a baby, and she settled in London as a refugee. As an amateur she became the first Muslim woman to win an English title, and at Tokyo 2020 she was the first boxer to represent Somalia at an Olympic Games.

She turned professional in late 2020 with world titles as her stated goal, but her hopes looked to have been derailed when she was knocked out in her ninth fight in 2023, and she lost her first world title attempt two years ago. Alongside boxing she has worked as a model and runs her own not-for-profit organisation, Sisters Club, which supports young women, and many questioned whether she should carry on. She did, and the win comes as a biopic about her life has just been released.

What comes next

With two belts in hand, Ali could now target a unification fight with Australia's Skye Nicolson, who kept her WBC title on the same bill in Texas.

For young people in Birmingham's own Somali community, one of the largest in the country, and for every young woman who has walked into a boxing gym for the first time, Ali's journey from refugee to world champion is a powerful example of what persistence can achieve.