Ramla Ali wins world titles in controversial Texas split decision

Controversial verdict after knockdown

Ali claimed the vacant WBO and IBF junior featherweight belts after surviving a fight that appeared controlled by her opponent. Kreps went down after she landed a right hook to the chin and her glove hit the canvas during the third round. Despite this early advantage, the American fighter ramped up volume and applied relentless pressure for the remaining rounds. The ringside arbiters were sharply divided on the outcome of the ten-round contest.

Judge scores and punch stats

Two judges scored the bout 97-92 and 96-93 for Ali while the third judge favored Kreps with a score of 98-91. According to Compubox data, Kreps landed 115 more strikes than Ali's 78 total punches, with 91 versus 70 for the heavy hitters. The New Yorker data indicated Ali threw 346 punches while the American opponent maintained a substantially higher work rate throughout the contest.

Emotional tribute and reaction

An overwhelmed Ali dropped to her knees and wept when the scores were announced immediately after the final bell. Referring to her father, who passed away half a year prior, she mentioned that her trainer honored his memory right before the bout started. Veteran promoter Lou DiBella called for an investigation into the scoring after stating Mikiah Kreps won that fight and it was not close.