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British super-bantamweight boxer Ramla Ali wants to “prove to everyone” he is a “great” boxer by winning his first world title on Saturday.
The 34-year-old will face WBC champion Yamilez Mercado of Mexico in Phoenix, Arizona.
Ali's incredible journey has taken her from refugee fleeing war-torn Somalia to model, activist and now world title-challenging boxer.
“I'm just excited to be out there and prove to everybody that I deserve to challenge for a world title,” she said.
Ali has nine professional wins under her belt, losing to Julissa Alejandra Guzman in June 2023 but getting revenge five months later.
“The first fight I was just lucky. The second time I proved I'm the better boxer and I feel I can do it again on Saturday,” Ali said at a news conference on Thursday.
She wants to follow in the footsteps of her idols Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard and win the green and gold WBC belt.
“If I become world champion, that's the belt I want. It will cement my legend and prove to everyone that I am great,” Ali said.
Edwards faces tough fight against Curiel after first loss
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The 26-year-old Mercado will have some strong hometown support as compatriot Juan Francisco Estrada defends his WBC super flyweight world title against Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez in the main event.
Britain's Sonny Edwards, who lost his flyweight world title to America's Rodriguez in December, will face Mexico's Adrian Curiel in the main support role.
“A lot of people have said they feel bad about being on the undercard of someone who beat them,” Edwards, 28, said.
“If anything, I feel like this is a good fit and exactly where I'm meant to be. Winning in the U.S. is what I need to do after my first match didn't go well.”
A victory for the Londoner could see him move on to an all-British showdown with Olympic gold medallist Galal Yafai, but Edwards says he is not overlooking former flyweight world champion Curiel.
“We've got some big games coming up and obviously we've got to get back on winning track on Saturday night, and if not, what happens from there?” he said.
