Muhammad Ali’s fight-worn gloves from Ali-Frazier I — “The Fight of the Century” — are going back on the auction block.
Jeff Rosenberg of TRI-STAR Productions, who bought the gloves two years ago for $388,375, has consigned them to Goldin Auctions. They originated in the collection of Ali’s long-time corner man Angelo Dundee.
It’s been an honor to own the Mona Lisa of Muhammad Ali memorabilia. The next owner will be privileged. https://t.co/kw2mVfwNDb
— Jeff Rosenberg (@tsppres) July 9, 2016
The interior linings of the gloves from the 1971 bout carry various notations from Dundee. Approval stampings placed by the New York State Athletic Commission are accompanied by additional notations (date and initials) penned by that agency’s inspector. The black marker signature of Dundee also appears inside each glove. The gloves remained in the possession of Dundee after the fight, and they are accompanied with an authentication letter, which reads,
“To whom it may concern: The Ali-Frazier gloves have been in my family’s possession from the time I cut them off Ali’s hands. My wife and son brought them home from New York the day after the fight. I labeled the gloves inside the laces. [signed] Angelo Dundee.”
Auction bidding opens Monday on Goldin Auctions’ website and continues through a live close on August 4 during the National Sports Collectors Convention.
The gloves are currently on exhibit at the O2 in London, England, at a showcase of important Ali memorabilia being staged entitled “I Am the Greatest: Muhammad Ali” and is scheduled to remain open until August 31.
Rosenberg may have gotten quite a bargain based on prices for other Ali memorabilia and increased interest in the wake of his death. Some believe the Fight of the Century gloves will sell for much more this time around, perhaps as much as $1 million.
“This fight meant so much more than any ordinary boxing match,” said Ken Goldin, Founder of Goldin Auctions. “Not only did the fight help shape Ali’s legacy, he forged a path for himself to be an even more powerful voice in the community. Those who watched the series of Ali-Frazier matches will never forget it.”
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