When George Chuvalo met Muhammad Ali for the first time in Toronto, Canada, in 1966, he was nearly midway through a distinguished heavyweight career that would mark him as one of the toughest and most durable fighters of his time. No better testimony to that could be his two fights with Ali, both unanimous decisions that left the champion battered and weary from the first 15 rounds and (in their final meeting six years later in Vancouver) then 12 rounds.
“He’s the toughest guy I ever fought,” said Ali in assessing the career of a man who was never knocked to the canvas in a quarter century of boxing and nearly 100 fights in all. Chuvalo’s career would put him in the ring against virtually all of the great names of the era – Patterson, Frazier, Foreman – but like so many top heavyweights it was his battles with Muhammad Ali that seemed to define so much of his career.
The brown Everlast gloves are in excellent condition and virtually problem free (no laces), each with a blazing black marker Angelo Dundee autograph at the top of each Everlast tag. The white stamping “21086” appears on the inside of the fingers. Dundee wrote in black marker on the inside of each glove: Clay vs. Chuvalo, March 29, 1966 Toronto,” using the “Clay” name rather than Muhammad Ali. Cassius Clay fight worn gloves of this caliber, with such irrefutable and distinguished provenance are the pinnacle objects in the realm of sports memorabilia.
These museum quality gloves come with a Letter of Authenticity from the late Angelo Dundee on his personal letterhead.