The pretty woman walked into the Ringside Cafe in Louisville, Ky., and approached the three-time heavyweight boxing champion, who led her to a quiet corner. The restaurant’s owner, John Ramsey, surreptitiously watched as Muhammad Ali flirted shamelessly with the pretty woman, who six years earlier had become his fourth wife. On that day in 1992, Ramsey learned all he needed to know about Lonnie Ali by observing the effect she had on his longtime friend.
“He was trying to kiss her on the cheek, and she was blushing and trying to pull away, and he was pulling her close and whispering in her ear,” Ramsey said.