Yahoo Sports World title win will 'prove I'm great' – Briton Ali
British super-bantamweight Ramla Ali plans to "prove to everybody" she is a "great" fighter by winning a maiden world title on Saturday.
The 34-year-old will take on Mexico's WBC champion Yamileth Mercado in Phoenix, Arizona.
Ali's remarkable journey has taken her from being a refugee who fled war-torn Somalia to a model, activist and now world title challenging boxer.
"I'm just super excited to be there and to prove to everyone that I deserve to be in there challenging for the world title," she said.
Ali has won nine pro bouts, suffering one loss to Julissa Alejandra Guzman in June 2023, which she avenged five months later.
"What happened the first time was just lucky and the second time I proved that I was the better boxer, and I feel on Saturday that I'm going to do that again," Ali said at Thursday's news conference.
She is hoping to emulate her idols Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard in capturing a green and gold WBC belt.
"If I'm going to be world champion, that's the belt I want, and it cements my legacy and proves to everybody that I am great," Ali said.
Edwards in tough Curiel fight after first loss
There will be strong home support for Mercado, 26, with her compatriot Juan Francisco Estrada defending his WBC super-flyweight world title against Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez in the main event.
Briton Sunny Edwards – who lost his flyweight world title to American Rodriguez in December – will face Mexican Adrian Curiel in the chief support.
"A lot of people are saying is it sickening being on the undercard of someone that beat you," Edwards, 28, said.
"If anything, I think it's fitting and exactly where I need to be. Getting a win in America is what I need to do after the first time didn't go so well."
A win for the Londoner could set up an all-British contest with Olympic gold medallist Galal Yafai next, but Edwards says he is not looking past former flyweight world champion Curiel.
"There should be big fights laid out in front of me, but obviously Saturday night I have to get back to winning ways, otherwise where do I go from there?" he said.
