RAMLA ALI, the history-making boxer, is born after fleeing war-torn Somalia when he was a baby.
Ali, a model, Olympian, activist, and author, is set to be the first woman fighter in Saudi Arabia for the Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Uzyk undercard.
Ramla Ali will be the first woman to box in Saudi Arabia
Ramla Ali has modeled for Dior
Professionals can use a featherweight of 6-0.
The journey of the 32-year old began before she was even one year old, when her family fled Somalia to seek asylum in the UK.
Her older brother, who was just 12 years old, had been killed in a bomb blast during civil war in early 1990s.
Ali and his family managed to escape Mogadishu after a nine-day boat trip to Kenya.
Some people died from starvation along the way, but Ali's family found refuge in London.
Ali settled in Whitechapel in East London. Ali was bullied in her teens for being overweight.
She decided to take up boxercise at her local gym.
She didn't tell her family because she was afraid they might disapprove of this sport for a Muslim girl.
Ali would win elite and novice titles but her secret boxing technique was revealed.
Stylist 2020, she said: "I kind of knew they wouldn’t agree with that."
"I told my younger brother, because he was one the coolest - I felt I needed an ally.
"The rest of my family discovered the truth when my older brother saw me fighting with TV.
"It was very annoying because I specifically requested that the fight not be shown.
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"When I returned home, my entire family was in the living room. I suppose you could call that an intervention.
"Obviously, they didn't believe a woman should boxing so they asked me to stop."
Perhaps inspired by her family's journey to freedom, Ali was determined to win them all, including her mother.
Ramla Ali started boxing only to lose weight
She didn't tell her family that she had started boxing.
Ramla Ali won the elite amateur title and the novice title
BBC Sport was told by her: "A couple of years ago, we had a kind of turning point.
"She called me to wish me luck in the tournament in Denmark that she was organizing."
"It was the most amazing feeling to know that someone I love has taken an interest and is now interested in something I love.
"She is so supportive now. She hasn’t seen me compete live, she will wait till the next day to view it on YouTube.
Ali boxed initially for England at international amateur, but he later switched to Somalia.
She was a professional wrestler in 2020, but she lost her first bout in Tokyo Olympics.
Ali is just as good outside the ring, despite her impressive boxing record.
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Ramla Ali boxed at the Tokyo Olympics
Cartier's boxer modeling
Ramla Ali started a charity.
This super-bantamweight has modeled for Dior, Cartier, and Nike, as well as appearing on numerous magazine covers.
She was chosen by Meghan, Duchess, of Sussex in 2019 to be the star of British Vogue's September issue.
Ali, a UK Unicef ambassador, taught boxing three years ago to young Jordanian girls in a refugee camp.
Sisters Club is a non-profit, all-women self defense group that the humanitarian runs with Nike's support.
Ali also published her book Ten Steps to Becoming Your Own Champions last year.
She is a popular personality and has dominated the pro ranks.
Derek Chisora (38), beat Kubrat Pulev (41), in the main-event, but Ali's victory over Agustina Rosas attracted the most attention.
Sisters Club is Ramla Ali's non profit organisation
Marisa Belen Rosas beat Ramla Ali in her last fight
She stated that she had only to send out the flyer, and in 72 hours I sold 500 tickets. It was crazy.
Ali will now take her talents to Saudi Arabia on Saturday under the card of Anthony Joshua's fight with Oleksandr Uzyk.
Crystal Garcia will face her in the first sanctioned Saudi women's boxing fight.
Ali stated, "It's an immense honour. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event.
"No one else will be first and both my opponent and I will be engraved in history. It's an amazing feeling.
Due to Saudi Arabia's poor human rights record and treatment of women, Joshua's rematch for the world title in the Middle East has been criticized.
Ali replied, "You can't blame a country that is trying to make changes. This isn’t a gimmick to 'let’s stick with women’ and other such things.
"If I'm trying to fight for women’s rights, why would I not support a country trying to make changes, who is trying women's right?"
Ali has a sensational list of accomplishments, but she is missing a pro-level world title - another piece in history.
She stated, "I want to be a world champion." I believe that people will have a better understanding of Somalia as a result.
Ramla Ali before her fight in Saudi Arabia
