Ramla Ali title fight at College Park Center in Arlington puts the IBF and WBO super-bantamweight belts on the line against Mikiah Kreps on Monday. On the same MVPW-07 card, WBC super-bantamweight champion Skye Nicolson boxes Miyo Yoshida. If both win, the source reports they could meet in a unification contest early next year.
Ramla Ali title fight and the 122lb stakes
Ali, a refugee from Somalia who moved to London as a child, took up boxing initially in secret and became the first woman to box for Somalia at an Olympic Games. She has also appeared on fashion magazine covers. A film about her life has just been released. A win over Kreps would make her a two-belt world champion.
Ali said she had to embrace the moment: "I just have to embrace and enjoy it". She also described boxing as a source of hope and a safe haven, saying: "Boxing provides hope to so many people. It's such a beautiful sport".
Ali said she hopes the film creates a positive narrative about migrants. She said families leave because they fear for their lives and want a safe environment for their children. She added that boxing offers a place to set aside troubles during training.
Nicolson told Sky Sports: "I definitely do see an opportunity here to unify the division at 122lbs". The WBC champion said the winner of Ali-Kreps would be her main focus after Yoshida, with a three-belt unification at 122lbs in view. She believes she can be undisputed before the middle of next year.
Ali said she regards Britain as her only home and that a win would offer hope to people in Somalia. She also said she is not looking beyond Kreps: "Just concentrate on the one in front of you, win it and then think about everything else after".
The MVPW-07 event is headlined by Alycia Baumgardner vs Elif Nur Turhan and is live on Sky Sports from 1.30am. The original report is at skysports.com.