Ramla Ali and Skye Nicolson could find themselves on a collision course for a unification contest in the early months of 2025 if both fighters emerge victorious from their respective title bouts. According to Sky Sports, the two fighters will compete on the same card in Arlington, Texas, with the action broadcast live in the early hours of Monday morning.
Sky Sports reports that Ali will defend the IBF and WBO super-bantamweight titles against Mikiah Kreps at College Park Center, while Nicolson, the WBC champion at super-bantam, faces Miyo Yoshida on the same bill. Nicolson entered the Yoshida fight with a 16-1 professional record including three knockouts, while Yoshida brought a 19-5 record to the contest, according to Ring Magazine.
Ali's extraordinary journey
Ali's path to this championship moment represents one of boxing's most compelling narratives. A refugee from Somalia, she arrived in London as a child and took up boxing initially in secret before becoming the first woman to represent Somalia at an Olympic Games. Her remarkable story has now been captured in a new film, and she has also worked as a model, appearing on the covers of fashion publications.
Reflecting on the extraordinary circumstances surrounding her title fight, Ali expressed her mindset heading into the bout.
I just have to embrace and enjoy it,she said.
I'm hoping that this film creates a positive narrative. Migrants we don't just leave everything that we know. You do it because you're fearful for your life, you do it because you're wanting to create a safe environment for you kids, you do it because you want to see your kids thrive.
For Ali, boxing has become far more than a sport—it represents a transformative force in her life and a source of hope for others.
Boxing provides hope to so many people. It's such a beautiful sport,she explained.
It provides a safe haven. It does for me. It's a place where you can just leave all your troubles at the door and while you're there training for that hour and a half, two hours, nothing matters but that training and there's something quite beautiful about that. If you watch boxing in its truest form, it's like watching art.
Achieving world champion status would represent the pinnacle of her achievements to date.
It would be something incredible to achieve alongside everything else,Ali said.
Britain's the only home I've ever known. But it would be an amazing thing to provide hope to thousands of people in Somalia, to show them that I came from where they came from. I can do it, they can do it too. This isn't going to be the end but it would be an amazing icing on the cake with everything that's going on.
Despite the magnitude of a potential unification clash, Ali remains focused on the immediate challenge ahead.
Just concentrate on the one in front of you, win it and then think about everything else after. Like I said this isn't the end. But all I have to think about now is winning this.
Nicolson's unification ambitions
Nicolson, by contrast, is already mapping out her path beyond the Yoshida encounter. The WBC champion has made no secret of her desire to pursue unification honours, and she has identified Ali as a prime target should both fighters prevail on the same card.
I definitely do see an opportunity here to unify the division at 122lbs,Nicolson told Sky Sports.
The winner of Ramla and Mikiah Kreps will definitely be where my main focus will be on after the Yoshida fight. I think the winner of that - it just makes sense.
Nicolson's ambitions extend beyond a single unification bout.
Within the next three fights I could be undisputed, which has been ever elusive, so close but just not quite happened yet. I truly believe I can be undisputed before the middle of next year.
Nicolson's sole professional loss came via split decision to Tiara Brown in March 2025, according to The Independent. The Yoshida bout itself had been delayed significantly, as Nicolson suffered a wrist injury that pushed the fight back nine weeks from its original August 29 date in Birmingham, Ring Magazine reported.
Beyond Ali, Nicolson has outlined other potential opponents for future contests. According to Ring Magazine, she has named a rematch with Tiara Brown as a priority should Brown defeat Ellie Scotney, while also identifying Scotney, Dina Thorslund and Amanda Serrano as possible future opponents.
The path to undisputed glory
The super-bantamweight division currently features multiple title holders, with Nicolson holding the WBC belt. According to The Independent, Melissa Mortensen holds another of the division's belts, and Nicolson has expressed her intention to pursue major unification fights throughout 2027, with the winner of the Ali-Kreps contest among the possible opponents she is targeting.
The MVPW-07 event will be headlined by Alycia Baumgardner facing Elif Nur Turhan, with live coverage on Sky Sports beginning at 1.30am.
