Ramla Ali wins first world titles at 36 with highly controversial split decision
Ramla Ali, 36, secured her maiden world championship by defeating Mikiah Kreps in a ten-round split decision at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. The victory awarded Ali the vacant WBO and IBF junior featherweight belts, marking a significant milestone for the British-Somali fighter who became the first boxer to represent Somalia at the Olympic Games.
Although Ali recorded a third-round knockdown, Kreps dominated the subsequent exchanges, landing 115 punches compared to Ali's 78, with a power punch advantage of 91 to 70. The judges' scores were sharply divided, with two scoring the bout 97-92 and 96-93 for Ali, while a third judge favored Kreps 98-91.
Ali, who has a professional record of 12 wins and 2 losses, credited her late father for the emotional victory, while Kreps finished with an 11-1 record. Promoter Lou DiBella publicly challenged the outcome, calling for an inquiry into the controversial scoring.
