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23 May 1965 – Heavyweight boxing champ Cassius Clay, accompanied by his wife, Sonji, arrive at nearby Auburn from his training camp in Chicopes Falls. (AP Wire photo)
Sonji (Roi) Clay met Ali on July 3, 1964 and they were married in Gary, Indiana on August 14, 1964, a total of 41 days after they met.
When Ali met Sonji, she was working as a cocktail waitress and had done some modeling. She had lost her parents early in life and was forced to support herself by working in nightclubs. She was 23 years old when they were married, one year older than Ali. Sonji and Ali’s marriage lasted two years. The couple divorced in 1966 amid conflict over Ali’s increasing devotion to the Nation of Islam.
