Ramla Ali, a boxer who became British champion without her family’s knowledge after fleeing civil war in Somalia, has signed a professional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing. Ali is aiming to become the first Somali boxer to go to an Olympics and is due to make her professional debut in October. The 31-year-old started boxing as a teenager after arriving in London as a refugee. Signed to unified heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua’s 258 management label, Ali is trained by her husband Richard Moore and will compete at super-bantamweight. Arriving in London, Ali was bullied at school for being overweight and began going to the local gym where she discovered a love for boxing. Ali initially kept her training a secret for fear that her family would disapprove of the sport for a Muslim girl. As an amateur, Ali became the first female Muslim boxer to win an English title before deciding to represent Somalia in 2017. Promoter Eddie Hearn said: “Ramla’s story is incredible and inspiring. She has gone through so much to get to this point.
SOURCE: THE INDEPENDENT