A box of cigars Fidel Castro signed during Muhammad Ali's visit to Cuba are among items up for auction

Record ID: 74991

  • Title: A box of cigars Fidel Castro signed during Muhammad Ali's visit to Cuba are among items up for auction
  • Date: 1st December 2016
  • Summary: A SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH BY HOWARD BINGHAM OF ALI PUNCHING TOWARDS THE CAMERA. THE PHOTO WAS SIGNED BY ALI IN BLACK MARKER (ESTIMATE: $600-$800)
  • Embargoed: 16th December 2016 19:14
  • Keywords: auction sports Muhammad Ali boxing football soccer Pele Brazil sale
  • Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • City: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA0025B20IMX
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Items from sporting legends Muhammad Ali and Pele are going under the hammer as highlights to Julien's Auctions Icons and Idols: Sports sale later this week.
    The Ali lots come from the boxer's longtime friend and photographer, Howard Bingham, and includes both personal and professional items.
    The top item is a pair of fight-worn gloves used by Ali in 1970 when he fought and defeated Oscar Bonavena at Madison Square Garden.
    "They are really important gloves, because obviously they are fight worn gloves, but they also - a lot of his fight worn items don't come up for auction very often. We estimate them $60,000-80,000 (USD)," said Darren Julien or Julien's Auctions.
    Another significant lot is a box of cigars autographed by former Cuban revolutionary leader, Fidel Castro.
    "The cigars are really a great lot. They are signed by Fidel Castro and gifted to Howard Bingham, Ali's longtime friend. In 1998 Ali and Bingham went to Cuba on humanitarian efforts. So this has really become an important lot now because of Fidel's recent passing," explained Julien.
    An autographed mouthguard Ali wore during the 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" fight is projected to bring in big bucks.
    "It's such a personal item, but it's something that he wore - It's also signed by Muhammad Ali. We estimate those $5,000-7,000. But again because it's from the historic fight and such a unique item it will sell for a lot more."
    Other noteworthy Ali objects include a drawing Ali made showing himself fighting Joe Frazier, which is estimated at $2,000, and Ali's plaque from his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2002.
    Organizers said this is the first time an assortment of so many Ali and Pele items are being sold in the same auction.
    "We have a really important shirt of Pele's that he wore in 1971 in a match of Santos versus Chelsea. Where Pele wore it the entire game and it's also signed by Pele. We also have his personal passport from 2005-2010," finished Julien.
    In the addition to the many Ali and Pele items, the sale of over 500 lots, held on December 3rd in Los Angeles, California, will also include numerous other sports memorabilia from baseball to racing.
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