Who are Muhammad Ali's wives? Boxing legend accused of being 'sex addict'
Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. better known as Muhammad Ali often proclaimed himself as 'The Greatest' and rightfully so. The legendary boxer has been regarded as one of the best heavyweight boxer of all time. Alongside Ali's victories inside the boxing ring, his personal life too frequently made headlines across the world.
The silver-tongued boxer, who also masqueraded as activist, poet, and philanthropist had earned the reputation for his wandering eyes and fondness for women. During his lifetime, Ali was married four times, numerous affairs, and nine acknowledged children. His second wife- Khalilah Ali even referred to him as a 'sex addict' in the biography of Ali written by Jonathan Eig, 'Ali: A Life'. Read on to know more Ali's wives and their marriage to the legendary boxer.
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Sonji Roi
Ali's brother Rahman Ali once revealed in an interview that the hardest thing his famous brother endured in his lifetime was the divorce from his first wife- Sonji Roi. Sonji worked as a cocktail waitress when she first met Ali in 1964. Soon after their first date, Ali asked her to marry him, and the couple got married a month later. The couple got married in Gary, Indiana, in August 1964. Ali hadn't yet converted to Islam, so Sonji was called Mrs. Sonji Clay. Unfortunately the couple's marriage didn't last for too long as they got into intense arguments over Sonji's refusal to convert to Islam. Soni wasn't comfortable with the idea of practising the customs and traditions prescribed by the religion for the women.
After two years of marriage, the couple divorced in January 1966 owing to the religious tensions between them. The couple didn't have any children. Soon after their divorce, Sonji moved to Chicago, where she met her second husband Reynaldo Glover, a corporate lawyer, business advisor and was once the chairman of the City Colleges of Chicago. Together they had a son called Brian Reynaldo Jr. This relationship did not last for long. She has another son by the name Herman Griffin from another relationship. Sonji passed away in 2005 at her home from a heart attack, reported Nailbuzz.
Belinda Boyd
Following his divorce from Sonji, Ali went on to marry Belinda Boyd in 1967. Belinda later changed her name to Khalilah Ali, and the couple had four children together. In an interview with NBC 6, Khalilah recounted how she met Ali when she was 10-years-old at her hometown mosque. Khalilah said, "He said, 'Listen here little girl. This is my name. Imma be famous. You need to keep that 'cause it's gone be worth a lot of money,'" Khalilah said, mimicking Ali. You'll never be famous with that name. And, I walked away," Khalilah explained.
In Jonathan Eig's book, Khalilah revealed how there was a 'dark' and 'evil' side to Ali. She reportedly would arrange hotel rooms so her husband can have trysts with his many mistresses, and called him a sex addict, reported The Sun. The couple divorced in 1977 owing to Ali's repeated infidelity. "It was easy to forgive him because he was the best part of my life," Khalilah said. "He was not only the best part of my life but we were the Michelle and Obamas of the 60s and 70s. And we stood for beauty, we stood for family."
Khalilah says she and Ali remained friends until he died in 2016.
Aaisha Ali
While still married to Khalilah, Ali began an extramarital relationship with a 16-year-old named Wanda Bolton, who later changed her name to Aaisha Ali. Aaisha gave birth to their daughter Khaliah in 1974. Ali married Aaisha in an Islamic ceremony, while he was still married to Khalilah. Their marriage wasn't legally recognized. Aside from Aaisha, Ali had another extramarital relationship with a woman named Patricia Harvell, and fathered a daughter named Miya with her.
Veronica Porché
By 1975, Ali began having an affair with actress/ model named Veronica Porché. This affair led to his divorce from his second wife. In an interview, Veronica revealed that she met Ali in 1974 when she was one of the poster girls for his "Rumble in the Jungle" fight. He took Veronica with his to his famous 'Thrilla in Manila' fight in Philippines. Daily Mail reported that when Ali met the president of the Philippines- Ferdinand Marcos, he complimented the leader for having a beautiful wife. The President mistook Veronica for his wife and repeated the compliment to Ali.
In 1977, after ending his second marriage, Ali married Veronica. At the time of their marriage, they had a daughter, Hana, and Veronica was pregnant with their second child- Laila Ali. The couple were divorced by 1986 owing to his infidelity. In an interview with PEOPLE, Veronica explained, "It was too much temptation for him, with women who threw themselves at him. It didn’t mean anything. He didn’t have affairs – he had one-night stands. I knew beyond a doubt there were no feelings involved. It was so obvious, It was easy to forgive him.”
Yolanda "Lonnie" Williams
Ali married Yolanda in 1986. He had known her ever since she was 6-years-old, and he was 21-years-old. In an interview with USA Today, Lonnie recollected the moment when she knew she was in love with the boxer. "When I was 17. But I think I’ve always loved him. I knew, at the end, I was going to be the one married to him. It was like a road map," she shared. The couple adopted a son, Asaad Amin in 1986, when he was five months old. Lonnie was married to Ali until the time of his death in 2016.
You can learn more about Muhammad Ali and his former mentor Malcolm X on the upcoming Netflix documentary- 'Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali', which will premiere on September 9 on the streaming platform.