A large collection of Muhammad Ali memorabilia including fight worn gloves and personal items given to friend and biographer Howard Bingham are on the auction block.
LA-based Julien’s Auctions is offering hundreds of pieces in its Icons and Idols auction, set to conclude Saturday, December 3.
Among the items up for bid are the gloves that Ali wore in his December 7, 1970, fight against Oscar Bonavena and originating from his former trainer Angelo Dundee (Estimate: $60,000-$80,000), two pairs of boxing trunks worn by Ali while training for his fights (Estimate: $10,000-$20,000), a mouth guard worn for his 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” fight versus George Foreman (Estimate: $5,000-$7,000), and a pair of gloves worn by Ali, then named Cassius Clay, in bouts when he was a n amateur boxer, with the gloves originating from the estate of Sugar Ray Robinson (Estimate: $40,000-$50,000).
Bingham, a confidant of Ali throughout his career and a professional photographer, has consigned items to the auction. Highlights of the Howard Bingham Ali Collection include one of Ali’s passports, signed twice by Ali and used for travel during Ali’s heyday in the mid-1970’s (Estimate: $8,000-$12,000); photographs and boxing gloves signed by both Ali and former South African President Nelson Mandela (Estimate: $6,000-$8,000); documents and artifacts pertaining to Ali’s participation in the 1996 Summer Olympic Torch Relay including a 1996 Summer Olympics Torch signed by Ali (Estimate: $8,000-$12,000); and numerous drawings that Ali would create for Bingham in his own hand featuring many different subjects.
The auction includes other boxing memorabilia as well including the trunks worn by Evander Holyfield for his first fight against Mike Tyson that was held on November 9, 1996, in which Holyfield defeated a heavily-favored Tyson by technical knockout in the 11th of 12 rounds (Estimate: $10,000-$15,000), and fight worn trunks from Sugar Ray Robinson from his fight with Jackie Cailleau in Nice, France, on October 24, 1964. Robinson would win the fight in a decision after 10 rounds (Estimate: $10,000-$15,000).
Among the other items in the sale is a collection of memorabilia from Pelé. Highlights include trophies and medals awarded to Pelé in 1958 after leading the Brazil national football team to victory in the 1958 World Cup final; a Santos FC jersey worn by Pelé in a match versus Chelsea FC in 1971 (Estimate: $8,000-$10,000); a 1969 Brazil national football team jersey signed by all members of the team that would eventually go on to victory in the 1970 World Cup (Estimate: $4,000-$6,000); and Pelé’s personal passports used for travel around the globe (Estimate: $2,000-$3,000).
Collectors will also find Eddie Murray’s 1977 Baltimore Orioles rookie year game worn jersey (Estimate: $8,000-$12,000); a collection of items from Los Angeles Dodgers long-time broadcaster Vin Scully, a 1936 Olympic torch (Estimate: $8,000-$10,000) and items from basketball, football and Formula One racing.