Laila Amaria Ali, or Laila Ali, was boxing great Muhammad Ali‘s eighth child. Her mother, Veronica Porche Ali, was Muhammad Ali’s third wife. But despite having the world’s most famous sports personality as a parent, life for both Laila and her sister Hana was a far cry from a fairy-tale childhood. Muhammad Ali and Veronica Porche went their separate ways after nine years of marriage, and both remarried. But possessing her father’s famous combativeness, a fiery Laila Ali soon started encountering one trouble after another.

Independent by the time she was sixteen, a turning point came two years later when she saw a boxing fight. Despite her father’s and many others’ reservations, she went ahead and debuted on October 8, 1999. For the next eight years, she completely dominated the Super-Middleweight division. She retired in 2007, undefeated, without relinquishing her titles.

Laila Ali bares her soul in her book

But much before, there was a childhood in the famous Muhammad Ali household. Unfortunately, very few were privy to that phase till Laila Ali‘s autobiography, Reach!: Finding Strength, Spirit, and Personal Power reached bookshelves in 2002. Written along with author David Ritz, the book chronicles her childhood and isolation despite having celebrities as parents. The chapters and pages of the book entail her trials and tribulations.

Some of the incidents she narrates might even sound outlandish to many. For example, on pages twenty-nine and thirty, she talks about her mother, Veronica Porche Ali. She starts by describing her mother as a ‘proud woman.’ A highly talented individual, she reportedly declined an offer from Good Morning, America to anchor one of their programs simply because of her disinterest in relocating to New York.

Notably, Veronica Porche’s primary area of interest was ‘interior decoration.’

When a mother insisted that her daughter call her by her maiden name

Laila Ali continues, “As I’ve said, appearances are important to my mother, just as they are to my dad. There were times when she asked us to call her “Veronica” in public.” According to her mother, both Laila and her sibling Hana’s appearance belied their actual age, “…and calling me ‘Mom’  will make people think I am older than I am.”

Read More: Despite Being Legend Muhammad Ali’s Daughter, Spending 6 Months in Juvenile Was ‘The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Laila Ali

After quitting boxing, Laila Ali took to entertainment and entrepreneurship. And in both fields, she proved her mettle. Despite her troubled childhood, and initial lack of direction, she took charge and ensured that she came out a winner in each endeavor and venture. Her life, like her father’s, remains an inspiration to millions.

What is your take on Laila Ali’s story? Do share your thoughts and views with us in the comments below.

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