Somali-British star Ramla Ali dedicated her Texas triumph over Mikiah Kreps to her late father after claiming unified super-bantamweight glory.
A new queen of the ring has arrived, and she carries Somalia's name with her. Ramla Ali, the Somali-British boxer, is now the unified super-bantamweight world champion after beating American Mikiah Kreps in Texas, and she was in tears as the dream became real.
Ali never lost sight of who she was fighting for. She dedicated the victory to her late father, saying the moment belonged as much to him as to her. For a fighter whose path began in Somalia and led through London to the biggest stage in the sport, the tribute gave the night extra weight.
The win caps a journey that has made Ali one of the most recognisable faces of African and diaspora boxing. She has long been a symbol of resilience and representation, showing young Somali girls and boys, and Black and Muslim athletes everywhere, what is possible when talent meets relentless belief.
Now she stands on top of the division, with the belts to prove it. For the Somali community at home and across the diaspora, this is a landmark night, and Ramla Ali's name is firmly in the history books.
