Ex-refugee Ramla Ali becomes women's boxing trailbazer

Ali (right) celebrates after winning the super-bantamweight boxing match against Dominican Crystal Nova at the King Abdullah Sports City Arena in Jeddah. Photo: AFP

Britain's Ramla Ali said she sometimes felt she was dreaming after her journey from Somali refugee to trailblazing women's boxer took a big leap forward in Saudi Arabia.

Ali, fighting the first women's professional bout in the kingdom, put on a show in Jeddah last weekend, knocking out Crystal Garcia Nova with a crunching cross in the first round.