ALI MUHAMMAD: (1942-2016) American Boxer, World Heavyweight Champion. A good vintage signed 8 x 10 p...

ALI MUHAMMAD: (1942-2016) American Boxer, World Heavyweight Champion. A good vintage signed 8 x 10 photograph depicting Ali standing in a full length boxing pose. Signed ('Muhammad Ali') by Ali in bold blue fountain pen ink to the clear background, further adding the words 'World Champ' and the date, 28th February 1965, in his hand beneath his signature. Signed photographs of Ali from this early stage of his reign as World Champion are rare and desirable. An inscription has been very neatly, professionally erased and with some light, very minor surface creasing and extremely minor, light foxing to the right edge, otherwise about VG £800-1200 The present photograph was signed by Ali almost a year to the day after defeating Sonny Liston and becoming World Heavyweight Boxing Champion on 25th February 1964. The two fighters would meet again on 25th May 1965 and Ali once again claimed victory. The two fights, amongst the most anticipated and controversial in the history of the sport, launched Ali's career and signified the end of Liston's. For Ali, this was the beginning of the Ali mystique: the people's hero confronting seemingly impossible odds and unsurmountable foes (both inside and outside of the ring) only to triumph through his wit, integrity, courage and talent.