The life of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, also known as Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., has been filled with triumphs in the ring and scandals outside of it.
His personal life, particularly his relationships with women, often made headlines around the world.
Ali, a silver-tongued boxer who also dabbled in activism, poetry, and philanthropy, built a reputation for his wandering eyes and fondness for the opposite s**.
Throughout his lifetime, he was married four times, had numerous affairs, and fathered nine acknowledged children.
In fact, his second wife, Khalilah Ali, even referred to him as a “s** addict” in the biography “Ali: A Life” written by Jonathan Eig.
Let’s take a closer look at Ali’s wives and their marriages to the boxing legend.
Ali’s first wife was Sonji Roi, whom he divorced after just two years of marriage.
Sonji, a cocktail waitress, met Ali in 1964 and they quickly tied the knot.
However, their marriage faced intense arguments due to Sonji’s refusal to convert to Islam, which ultimately led to their divorce in January 1966.
Despite not having any children together, Sonji went on to have a son named Brian Reynaldo Jr. from her second marriage.
Sadly, Sonji passed away in 2005 from a heart attack.
Following his divorce from Sonji, Ali married Belinda Boyd, who later changed her name to Khalilah Ali.
The couple had four children together.
Khalilah, reflecting on how she met Ali, recounted a story from her childhood when she was just 10 years old.
Ali told her that her name wouldn’t make her famous and urged her to keep his name, as it would be worth a lot of money one day.
Their marriage, however, ended in 1977 due to Ali’s repeated infidelity.
Despite the divorce, Khalilah considered Ali to be the best part of her life and they remained friends until his death in 2016.
While still married to Khalilah, Ali engaged in an extramarital relationship with a 16-year-old girl named Wanda Bolton, who later changed her name to Aaisha Ali.
They had a daughter named Khaliah in 1974, but their marriage was not legally recognized as Ali was still married to Khalilah at the time.
Ali also had another extramarital relationship with a woman named Patricia Harvell, with whom he fathered a daughter named Miya.
In 1975, Ali began an affair with actress and model Veronica Porché, which ultimately led to the end of his second marriage.
Veronica revealed that she met Ali in 1974 when she was one of the poster girls for his “Rumble in the Jungle” fight.
Their relationship deepened, and they got married in 1977.
At the time of their marriage, they already had a daughter named Hana, and Veronica was pregnant with their second child, Laila Ali.
However, their marriage ended in 1986 due to Ali’s infidelity.
Veronica forgave him, stating that his actions were merely one-night stands with no emotional involvement.
Ali’s fourth and final wife was Yolanda “Lonnie” Williams, whom he married in 1986.
Lonnie had known Ali since she was six years old, and she always believed that she would be the one married to him.
The couple adopted a son named Asaad Amin in 1986 and remained together until Ali’s death in 2016.
To learn more about Muhammad Ali and his relationship with his mentor Malcolm X, don’t miss the upcoming Netflix documentary “Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali,” premiering on September 9.
