Throughout his long career LeRoy Neiman has painted dozens of sports legends including Babe Ruth Joe DiMaggio Wayne Gretzky Michael Jordan and even Secretariat. But his association with and depictions of Muhammad Ali provide his most enduring legacy as a sports artist.

Neimans association with Muhammad Ali dates back to 1962. The artist met the fighter in the dressing room in the St. Nicholas Arena in New York City before Clay defeated Billy Daniels. Neiman sketched the young heavyweight sitting on the rubbing table. Clay immediately showed his own interest in art by asking to make a drawing of himself at the bottom of Neiman's drawing. This was the beginning of a long relationship between the artist and the prize fighter. The artist frequently sketched and painted the athlete in training and at his major bouts around the world constantly sketching drawing and painting. Ali often took up the brush himself and did a number of prediction drawings for Neiman before big fights.

Offered here is a poignant original work by Neiman capturing Ali in a striking and confident pose. The line drawing in brown ink on paper has been mounted on artists board and measures 11 by 18-3/4. Some light wrinkling and fold lines are visible and it appears that a section of the upper right corner of the paper was cut away prior to mounting. Neiman has inscribed the piece in the same brown ink as his depiction Alis Camp Aug. 14 73 To My Friend Angelo. This inscription has faded somewhat to about 6-7/10 in boldness. Neiman added a large and dark signature in pencil to bottom right. Neimans artwork was regularly featured on Alis fight posters. An Ali rendering by Neiman similar to this was used on his poster for his 1970 fight vs. Jerry Quarry (see lot 17). Matted and framed.

LOA from Jim Dundee.