ALI MUHAMMAD: (1942-2016) American boxer, World Heavyweight Champion. An excellent vintage signed and inscribed 8 x 10 photograph of Cassius Clay in a full-length boxing pose sparring with his brother at the Territorial Army Centre Gymnasium in White City, London, on 29^th May 1963, ahead of his heavyweight fight against Henry Cooper on 18^th June 1963. The press photograph bears the original printed caption lightly affixed to the verso which states, in part, 'Louisville's confident Cassius Clay, who says he will beat British heavyweight Henry Cooper in the fifth round of their fight at Wembley Stadium….lands a powerful right-hander on his brother, Rudolf Valentino Clay, during the former's first gymnasium training session…..'. Signed by Clay in blue fountain pen ink to a light area at the base of the image, 'To Peter from Cassius Clay', adding the words 'Next World Champ' in his hand beneath his signature. Vintage signed photographs of Clay of this quality are rare and highly desirable. A couple of very light, extremely minor corner creases, otherwise about EX

 

Clay's first bout against Cooper took place at Wembley Stadium on 18^th June 1963 and is particularly remembered for Cooper felling Clay in the fourth round with an upward angled version of his trademark left hook to the jaw. Despite suffering this set back Clay started the fifth round aggressively, attempting to make good his prediction of a fifth-round knockout and opened a severe cut under Cooper's eye. Clay hit Cooper with a succession of hard rights knocking out his gumshield and Cooper's corner threw in the towel. The referee stopped the contest and thus Clay defeated Cooper by a technical knockout.