Mid Summer Classic Auction 2016
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 04:00PM EST - Sat, Aug 20, 2016 11:00PM EDT
Timed Auction
Lot 1105
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
$4,245.60
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 1965 championship match. This exceptional piece is number 86 of only 350 copies signed by Ali and famed photographer Neil Leifer.
Ali was a heavy underdog when he met Sonny Liston for the heavyweight championship on February 25 1964 at Miami Beach FL but he won the fight when Liston failed to come out for the 8th round claiming a shoulder injury. In the very first minute of the first round of their May 25 1965 rematch at Lewiston ME Ali knocked Liston out with a punch that few observers even saw and only photographer Neil Leifer 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. This piece represents Leifer's quintessential work. When Sports Illustrated published its special issue "The Century's Greatest Sports Photos" this photograph was used as the cover. "This image represents the way people want to remember Ali: strength confidence and braggadocio" (Leifer). "Sports photography is a matter of being in the right place. You've got to be in the right seat. A great example is the Liston-Ali picture. The photographer you see between Ali's legs is Herbie Scharfman the other Sports Illustrated photographer. It didn't make a difference how good he was that night. He was obviously in the wrong seat. What the good sports photographer does is when it happens and you're in the right place you don't miss" (Leifer interviewed by Larry Berman). The visible image area measures 20" by 22". Exquisitely framed to museum standards with overall dimensions of 33" by 33".
Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.
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