British-Somali ‌‌‌‌boxer Ramla Ali defeats Mikiah Kreps for first ⁠⁠⁠⁠world title

Ali, who fled Somalia’s civil war and settled in London, won the controversial split-decision fight against American Kreps to claim IBO and WBF junior featherweight belts. Ramla Ali, a British Somali boxer whose life story is the subject of a new film, has realised a long-held dream and won her first world title to claim two vacant junior featherweight belts in the United States.

The 36-year-old landed the biggest titles of her career by winning the IBO and WBF belts in a controversial split-decision victory over American fighter Mikiah Kreps in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday. The nail-biting nature of the 10-round contest should not have come as too much of a surprise, as the duo are former sparring partners and ended the night with an expression of mutual respect.

“Mikiah, I want to share this victory with you because you pushed me for 10 rounds,” an emotional Ali said while addressing her opponent, who she stopped from exiting the ring after being declared the winner. “I kept saying I’m so tired because your work rate was next level.