Ali, Liston gloves, Shoeless Joe photo fetch $1.1M in NYC
By: 10 years ago
The boxing gloves of Muhammad Ali, front, and of Sonny Liston, rear, sit on a table at Heritage Auctions by a photo and magazine depicting a moment captured during the fight, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015, in Dallas. The 1965 rematch between Ali and Liston remains one of the most controversial sporting events of the 20th century. To this day, 50 years later, questions swirl. Was it a knockout or phantom punch that Ali threw when he decked Liston minutes into the first round of their heavyweight title fight. AP
NEW YORK, United States — A rare century-old signed photo of Shoeless Joe Jackson and the gloves worn by Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston fetched over $1.1 million at an auction in New York City.
In this May 25, 1965 file photo, heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali is held back by referee Joe Walcott after Ali dropped challenger Sonny Liston less than two minutes into the first round of their heavyweight title fight, in Lewiston, Maine. Just months before the 50th anniversary of the fight, which remains one of the most controversial sporting events of the 20th century, both pairs of gloves are going on the auction block for the first time. Heritage Auctions is offering them as a single lot on Feb. 21 in New York. The auctioneer expects they will sell for more than $1 million. Bidding will start at $500,000. AP
Dallas-based Heritage Auctions says the gloves sold for $956,000 and the photo brought in over $179,000 on Saturday.
The gloves were worn by the boxers during their infamous 1965 rematch.
Ali won with a first-round knockout that some saw as a “phantom punch.” The gloves were seized by boxing commissioner George Russo. They remained in the family until a California collector purchased them years ago.
The autographed photo of Jackson comes from a scrapbook owned by a Cleveland family. Jackson is mostly remembered for being banned from baseball for his role in the 1919 World Series scandal.
