The Cover Star: Ramla Ali

On Growing Up Strong & Celebrating Life’s Wins

I arrived in the UK as a two-year-old refugee in the early 90s. My family fled the civil war in Somalia after my 12-year-old brother was killed by a stray grenade. Growing up in a Somali household in east London as a refugee, Muslim and Black, came with its own challenges. Luckily, I found boxing in my early teens. I initially joined a gym to get fit because I was bullied for being overweight, but fell in love with the boxing classes. I had to keep it from my family for years because my mother, being very traditional, didn't approve of girls boxing. I would tell her I was going to the gym or running when I was actually training. It wasn't until I started winning competitions that I had to tell them. The thing I’m most proud of is being able to talk about boxing with my parents. For me, it's the biggest victory I could ever have. To this day, I chip away at my goals and celebrate every win. The big wins mean a lot more when you can celebrate the small ones too.  

On Fighting Misconceptions & Finding Resilience

One of the biggest misconceptions about boxing is that you have to look masculine or be butch. I wish I could grow my shoulders and my triceps, but it's just not how a woman's body is programmed – so I embrace what I have. The advice I’d give to anyone is the same I'd give to 12-year-old me: never give up. Refuse to quit. I was always told women – especially Muslim women – shouldn't box; it's against the religion and the culture. But I kept going.

On Staying Motivated & Focused

It’s important to do what makes you happy and not listen to others. I get a lot of support and a lot of positive messages now, but people will always find things to poke holes in. Staying motivated takes sacrifice and determination. I worked multiple jobs to support myself while training. I had no financial backing or sponsorships for years. I had to overcome cultural barriers, family disapproval, and the general scepticism surrounding women's combat sports. I also had to navigate the complicated process of nationality and representation in international competitions, as Somalia didn't have a boxing federation when I started. I created Somalia's first boxing federation and was also the first Somali to box professionally, as well as in the Olympics at the Tokyo Games in 2021. I also made history as the first woman to competitively box in Saudi Arabia, alongside my opponent García Nova. 

On Bringing Fashion To The Fight

There are women who are great boxers and, crucially, they are strong and feminine. You can be both. Actually, a friend of mine recently said he prefers watching women over men because it's more artistic. It’s why my interest in fashion shouldn’t be unusual or surprising to anyone. Day to day, I live in a gym, so it’s sweats, leggings and sports bras – comfort is the name of the game. But what I choose to wear is always a representation of how I'm feeling mentally, and there are days when I don’t feel beautiful. As women, we always have those days and that's okay. I don't often have the luxury of wearing extremely expensive clothes, but when I have the opportunity, I embrace it. I love a pair of heels and a dress that makes me feel sexy.