This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/27/2023
No one talked a better game than Muhammad Ali. Each fight brought new and memorable one liners, limericks, and cutting verbal put downs. The sporting world first took notice of what would be his pre-fight trademark back in 1963 when he was known as Cassius Clay, and he was training to fight Sonny Liston for the heavyweight title. This photo depicts the brash contender as he mocks a framed photo of the current champ. The original caption slug, still affixed to the back, reads, “I’ll chop that big monkey to pieces”, threatens Cassius Clay. But the Sonny Liston, world champion, he is making a fist at is only a picture in a frame, in the flesh, and in a ring, may well hammer Clay’s poetry into funeral dirges. In the upcoming fight, Clay, now known as Muhammad Ali, would shock the world by beating the much-favored Liston in the 7th round to take the title. The photo has been printed to its edges. There is some chipping on the edges, most noticeably along the lower left corner. The back has the aforementioned caption slug along with many handwritten notations and stamps including a dated “6 APR 1963” and London Express News stamp. The photo has been encapsulated and graded Type 1 Authentic by PSA.