She inherited her famed father’s toughness and aggression. She had a legendary, and by most accounts, the greatest boxer for a father! But Laila Ali thirsted for a normal childhood. Her book, Reach! Finding Strength, Spirit, and Personal Power brings alive those years when her life was anything but ‘normal.’ In her memoir, she details her struggles and eventual successes.

For the record, Laila Amaria Ali fought in twenty-four career bouts. Undefeated, with twenty-one knockout wins, Laila was the first-ever champion in the IBA’s Super Middleweight division. Finally, she finished her career in 2007 with a win over Gwendolyn O’Neil, scoring a first-round knockout. Far away from these accomplishments, however, a little girl frequently came across world-famous luminaries visiting her father. But their presence, rather than invoking the familiar euphoria, made her pine for something different.

Despite her father’s fame and celebrity friends, Laila Ali sought a simple life

Upon reaching the nineteenth page of the book’s second chapter, she recounts the days when famous celebrities from the world of sports and entertainment converged at her house to meet her father, “Downstairs, Dad entertained a string of famous visitors. You might see Steve Wonder, Michael Jackson, or John Travolta walking through the door…but I wasn’t drawn to my father’s famous friends…”

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

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Sketching out further, she talks about a family that lived on the same street where she used to live. The head of the family used to be a doctor, while the mother was a homemaker. Every night they shared a meal. Rather than just sitting in separate rooms, everyone might gather in one place to watch TV. The parents established ground rules and enforced them, “All these made me envious. I longed for such a family. At Christmas, when the whole family decorated the magnificent tree that sat in the center of their living room, I wished my family could do the same. I knew we couldn’t.”

A tough childhood but she overcame and succeeded

The second chapter of her book details a few phases of her childhood. When she lived with her father, Muhammad Ali. Laila discusses her history with nightmares on page seventeen of the chapter. She also narrates a horrifying incident when she was five.

By her own admission, as she progressed through adolescence, Laila Ali developed a propensity toward harmful behaviors. However, post-stay at a juvenile facility, she understood the need to grow up and become self-sufficient. And Laila realized her dreams when she first opened a nail parlor. But it was in professional boxing where she found tremendous success and renown.

Watch Out for More: Laila Ali recounted how she became a boxer despite objections from her father, Muhammad Ali, and others.