FALL 2012 Auction
Wed, Nov 14, 2012 09:00PM EST - Sun, Dec 2, 2012 12:00PM EST
Lot 116
THE MOST FAMOUS PHOTOGRAPH OF MUHAMMAD ALI, TOWERING TRIUMPHANTLY OVER SONNY LISTON - ONE OF ONLY 350 SIGNED BY BOTH ALI AND PHOTOGRAPHER NEIL LEIFER
Sold for
$17,365.20
Sold Price includes BP
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $10 |
| $200 | $25 |
| $500 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $3,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $30,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
| $300,000 | $25,000 |
| $500,000 | $50,000 |
The finest example printed of the most famous sports image of all time shows Muhammad Ali towering over a knocked-out Sonny Liston during their May 25 1965championship match. This exceptional piece is number 88 of only 350 copies signed by Ali and famed photographer Neil Leifer.
Ali was a heavy underdog when he met Sonny Liston for theheavyweight championship on February 25 1964 at Miami Beach FLbut he won the fight when Liston failed to come out for the 8th roundclaiming a shoulder injury. In the very first minute of the first round oftheir May 25 1965 rematch at Lewiston ME Ali knocked Liston outwith a punch that few observers even saw and only photographer NeilLeifer managed to capture the moment perfectly. Leifer is among the most heralded sports photographers of the modern era his work having appeared on more than 200 Sports Illustrated Time and People magazine covers the most covers ever published of one photographer's work in Time Inc. history. He has photographed his favorite subject Muhammad Ali on almost 60 different occasions in addition more than 20 private photo sessions with the champ. This piece represents Leifers quintessential work. When SportsIllustrated published its special issue "The Century's Greatest SportsPhotos" this photograph was used as the cover. "This image representsthe way people want to remember Ali: strength confidence andbraggadocio" (Leifer). "Sports photography is a matter of being in theright place. You've got to be in the right seat. A great example is theListon-Ali picture. The photographer you see between Ali's legs isHerbie Scharfman the other Sports Illustrated photographer. It didn'tmake a difference how good he was that night. He was obviously in thewrong seat. What the good sports photographer does is when it happensand you're in the right place you don't miss" (Leifer interviewed byLarry Berman). The visible image area measures 20 by 21. Exquisitely framed to museum standards with overall dimensions of 33 by 34. Includes an attached folio on reverse from Bauman Rare Books NYC.
Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.
Payment for your invoice must clear in full prior to shipping. All items will be shipped from SCP Auctions’ Laguna Niguel, CA office in the order that payments are received. Please allow up to three business days following clearance of payment for items to ship. All items will be shipped UPS/FedEx Ground unless you contact us to discuss an alternative shipping method. If you would like your items shipped in a different method, such as UPS/FedEx Next Day or UPSFedEx 2-Day, you must contact our Post Sale Services Manager Veronica Rodriguez by emailing customerservice@scpauctions.com to discuss alternative shipping instructions. Prior to bidding, please be aware of estimated shipping costs, especially for large or heavy lots. You may contact SCP Auctions for any shipping estimates lots you are bidding on or interested in bidding on. If you intend to pick up your items in person at the SCP Auctions office, please call us to schedule. Payment must clear prior to items being available for pick-up.
