Ramla Ali was in tears the moment it became official. The Somali-British boxer defeated Mikiah Kreps to claim the unified super-bantamweight world championship title, and in that emotional rush, she turned her thoughts to the person she wished most could have seen it: her late father.
Ali dedicated the victory to him, and the moment carried the full weight of that tribute. She has spoken before about the journey that brought her to boxing, from a childhood marked by displacement to becoming one of the sport's most compelling figures. A world title was always the destination, and now she has arrived.
For fans across the continent and the diaspora, Ali's win feels personal. She carries the Somali flag with quiet pride, and her story resonates with anyone who has had to build something from very little. The question now is where this champion goes from here.
Originally published by BBC Africa.