Inside Muhammad Ali's Bitter Family Feud With His Children Before Tragic Death
June 8 2016, Updated 11:07 p.m. ET
Late boxing legend Muhammad Ali was involved in a vicious family feud before his tragic death, RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned.
The athlete's only natural son claimed Ali's wife of 27 years, Lonnie, blocked his nine children from seeing their Parkinson's-stricken father.
Muhammad Ali Jr. said he and his siblings – not Lonnie – should have been the ones to oversee their father's care. They considered going to court to fight for visitation rights, as well as conservatorship of their ailing dad.
"I can only speak for myself, but we don't get to see my father as much as we'd like to," Ali Jr. told RadarOnline.com in 2014. "We're considering taking legal action."
His comments echo claims made by Ali's heartbroken brother Rahman, who told RadarOnline.com that Lonnie – whom he once called "evil" – was draining Ali's $50 million fortune and keeping him "a prisoner in his own home."
Ali Jr. added: "It's not that Lonnie is all about caring about my father – it's all about what she can get. We would prefer to see his care in control of the family.
"We want to get power of attorney over my father," he continued. "We love him, and we can take care of him as he should be cared for."
But insiders said any such legal action would be sure to face "fierce resistance" from Lonnie – who is Ali's fourth wife and had looked after him ever since he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984.
The former heavyweight champ was the subject of a new documentary, I Am Ali, which went behind the scenes of his brave battle with Parkinson's.
Despite Lonnie's interference, Ali Jr. said he spoke to his dad on Father's Day in 2014 after posting a plea on Facebook.
"It was a short conversation," Ali Jr. told RadarOnline.com. "I guess he was doing okay, but it's hard to tell unless you see him."
In response, a statement from the champ's family to RadarOnline.com said at the time: "The allegations made by Muhammad Ali Jr. concerning Lonnie Ali are completely false. Muhammad's children have always visited their father as their and his schedule allow… the Ali family feels that Muhammad Jr. is being manipulated to make false claims to the media, possibly for monetary gain."
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Khalilah Ali confirmed to RadarOnline.com that her children were with their father on his deathbed.
Ali passed away on June 3rd from respiratory failure after a decades-long battle with Parkinson's Disease. A memorial service will be held Friday at 2pm at KFC YUM! Center in Louisville, KY.
