Muhammad Ali, the legendary boxer, left behind a complicated and divisive family legacy due to his tumultuous private life.
Throughout his lifetime, Ali was married four times and had at least nine children, which included two love-children.
These family disputes have become more apparent in recent years, particularly between Ali’s last wife and widow, Yolanda “Lonnie” Williams, and his younger brother, Rahman, as well as his estranged biological son, Muhammad Ali Jr.
According to Charlotte Waddell, Ali’s cousin, Lonnie has complete control over Ali’s affairs.
Waddell expressed her disdain for Lonnie, stating that she wouldn’t hesitate to spit in her face.
Lonnie, who became Ali’s full-time nurse after his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis in 1983, reportedly used her power of attorney to distance unwanted family members from Ali’s complicated web of relationships.
In a separate interview, Muhammad Ali Jr. revealed that he was living in a Chicago ghetto and had been almost entirely excluded from his father’s life since 2004.
Rahman Ali, also a former professional boxer, faced eviction from their mother’s family home and was forced to move into a more modest flat by Lonnie.
Despite the controversies surrounding Lonnie’s actions, her supporters credit her with bringing order to Ali’s chaotic life.
She played a significant role in restoring financial stability to Ali’s life when he sold his worldwide image rights for £30m in 2006.
Although Lonnie and Ali did not have children together, they adopted a five-month-old boy named Asaad Amin shortly after their marriage.
When Ali passed away, Lonnie was by his side, accompanied by Hana Yasmeen Ali and Laila, Ali’s children from his third marriage to Veronica Porsche.
Laila, who pursued a career as a professional fighter, maintained a close relationship with her father and often had him in attendance at her fights, including her highly-anticipated 2001 bout against Joe Frazier’s daughter, Jackie Frazier-Lyde.
Ali’s second marriage to Belinda Boyd ended due to his infatuation with Veronica Porsche.
Boyd, who converted to Islam after their wedding and changed her name to Khalilah Camacho-Ali, had four children with Ali during their decade-long marriage.
They were Maryum, Jamillah, Rasheda, and Muhammad Ali Jr.
Despite Boyd’s efforts to keep Ali faithful, she was unable to prevent the end of their marriage.
After their divorce, Boyd remarried three times and briefly worked as an actress.
During his marriage to Boyd, Ali reportedly had two love-children.
The first, Miya, was born in 1972 to a woman named Patricia Harvell.
The second, Khaliah, was born in 1974 to Wanda Bolton, a 16-year-old who changed her name to Aaisha Ali.
Khaliah and her mother lived at Ali’s training camp, where Ali’s then-wife, Belinda Boyd, shared parenting responsibilities.
Over the years, several others have claimed to be Ali’s children.
In 2014, Kiiursti Mensah Ali, a 35-year-old from Houston, Texas, caught attention for her striking resemblance to Ali.
Her mother, Barbara Mensah, claimed to have had a relationship with Ali during his prime.
Throughout his life, Ali was married a total of four times.
His first marriage to Sonji Roi, a 23-year-old model and cocktail waitress, lasted only 16 months.
Roi later attributed their divorce to the pressure she faced to adopt Muslim dress codes and convert to Islam, revealing that she had been threatened with reprisals if she didn’t comply.
Muhammad Ali’s legacy is one of both triumph and complexity.
His boxing prowess made him a legend, but his personal life was filled with challenges and controversies.
Despite the family disputes that have come to light, Ali’s impact on the world of sports and his cultural significance cannot be denied.
