Updated

Ramla Ali won a split decision over Mikiah Kreps in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday night to become unified super-bantamweight world champion. Scorecards were 97-92, 96-93 and 98-91 in her favour, and Ali, 36, collapsed to her knees in tears after being confirmed as the winner. She dedicated the victory to her late father, who died in May. Kreps, the previously undefeated American, was knocked down in the third round by a left hook, though replays showed her glove touched the canvas, and she felt she had done enough to win. Kreps landed more punches overall, 115 to 78, and more power shots, 91 to 70. Ali now holds the WBO and IBF belts, and BBC Sport reported that she could next face Australia's Skye Nicolson, who kept her WBC belt on the same card. Ali, who fled Somalia as a child and was the first Somali boxer to compete as an Olympian, said the win meant a great deal to her and to Somalia. Her biopic has just been released. BBC Sport noted that she had lost her previous world title attempt in 2023 by knockout.