Ramla Ali
Somali boxer and model
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ramla Said Ahmed Ali (born 16 September 1989) is a Somali[3] professional boxer, model and campaign activist. Ali was the first Somali boxer to compete at the Olympic Games and the first to win an international gold medal for the country in boxing.
- Boxer
- model
- campaign activist
Ramla Ali | |||||||||
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| Born | 16 September 1989[1] Mogadishu, Somalia | ||||||||
| Occupations |
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| Boxing career | |||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | ||||||||
| Weight | Super bantamweight | ||||||||
| Stance | Orthodox | ||||||||
| Boxing record[2] | |||||||||
| Total fights | 11 | ||||||||
| Wins | 9 | ||||||||
| Win by KO | 2 | ||||||||
| Losses | 2 | ||||||||
Career
Boxing
As an amateur, Ali won the 2015 Novice national championships in England, the 2016 England Boxing Elite National Championships, the 2016 Great British Championships, and the 2019 African Zone featherweight title.[4]
Ali initially represented England but, in 2018, changed to represent Somalia. She has not returned to Somalia since leaving as a child but wanted to help put the country in the headlines for positive reasons. She became the first boxer to win an international gold medal while representing Somalia.[5] Later, in 2021, she competed in the women's featherweight event at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Although she lost her first fight, she became the first boxer ever to represent Somalia on the Olympic stage.[6]
In 2022, she defeated Dominican boxer Crystal Garcia Nova in the first professional women’s boxing match held in Saudi Arabia.[7]
WBC Super Bantamweight Championship
Ali challenged Yamileth Mercado for her WBC super bantamweight title at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona on June 29, 2024, losing by unanimous decision.[8]
On March 26, 2025 it was announced that Ali signed with Most Valuable Promotions.[9][10]
Writing
Ramla's debut novel Not Without A Fight is a self-help book based on ten of the most important fights in her life. It was published by Merky Books & Penguin Random House. It has also been announced that Academy Award nominated, BAFTA winning producer Lee Magiday will be making a feature-length drama in collaboration with Film4 based on the life story of Ramla Ali.[11][12][13][14][15][16][17]
Campaigning and advocacy
Ali helped set up Somalia's boxing federation in Mogadishu and became the first boxer to have represented Somalia in the Women's World Championships, held in New Delhi, India.
In January 2018, Ali launched The Sisters Club, a charitable initiative created to provide spaces for Muslim women and minorities to learn and enjoy boxing in the U.K. Subsequently, the initiative expanded to also welcome women who have experienced sexual assault or domestic violence to learn self-defence. The charity partnered with brands Nike, Sports Direct & Everlast to expand its program in 2021, enabling it to reach more women across the country.[4]
Ali committed to giving 25 percent of her first year's earnings as a professional to Black Lives Matter charities.[4]
Personal life
Ali moved to England from Somalia as a refugee from the Somali Civil War. When Ali was a toddler, her brother was killed at the age of 12 by a mortar when playing outside, prompting the family to leave for the UK via Kenya. She started boxing as a teenager in an effort to lose weight.[18]
Honours
Ali was one of the fifteen women selected to appear on the cover of the September 2019 issue of British Vogue by guest editor Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.[19] In 2023, she was selected as one of the twelve Time's Woman of The Year.[20] In 2025, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud awarded Ali with Certificate of Honor for her achievements and efforts in representing Somalia in global sports.[21] She was also awarded the Medal of Honor by the Governor of Banadir Region and Mayor of Mogadishu, Hassan Mohamed Hussein in recognition of her groundbreaking achievements on the global stage and being an "inspiration to Somali youth particularly young women".[22]
Professional boxing record
| 12 fights | 10 wins | 2 losses |
|---|---|---|
| By knockout | 2 | 1 |
| By decision | 8 | 1 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Win | 10–2 | Lila Furtado | UD | 8 | 11 Jul 2025 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| 11 | Loss | 9–2 | Yamileth Mercado | UD | 10 | 29 Jun 2024 | Footprint Center, Arizona, US | For WBC female super bantamweight title |
| 10 | Win | 9–1 | Julissa Guzman | UD | 10 | 4 Nov 2023 | Casino de Monte-Carlo, Monaco | |
| 9 | Loss | 8–1 | Julissa Guzman | KO | 8 (10), 0:42 | 17 Jun 2023 | Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, US | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Avril Mathie | UD | 10 | 4 Feb 2023 | Hulu Theater, New York City, New York, US | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Crystal Garcia Nova | KO | 1 (8), 1:05 | 20 Aug 2022 | King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Augustina Rojas | PTS | 8 | 9 Jul 2022 | The O2 Arena, London, England | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Shelly Barnett | KO | 2 (8), 2:33 | 19 Mar 2022 | Galen Center, Los Angeles, California, US | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Isela Vera | UD | 6 | 27 Nov 2021 | Hulu Theater, New York City, New York, US | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Mikayla Nebel | UD | 6 | 29 May 2021 | Michelob Ultra Arena, Paradise, Nevada, US | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Bec Connolly | PTS | 6 | 20 Mar 2021 | The SSE Arena, London, England | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Eva Hubmayer | PTS | 6 | 31 Oct 2020 | The SSE Arena, London, England |
