By Kate Pounds
An auctioneer is selling what he claims is the famed ‘split’ glove from Muhammad Ali’s 1963 fight with Henry Cooper – for £500k.
The glove has gone down in boxing lore after a tear was allegedly made to buy Ali, then Cassius Clay, time after being knocked down.
Clay had been floored by a left hook from Cooper – known as ‘Enry’s ‘Ammer – and was literally on the ropes.
But his shrewd trainer Angelo Dundee widened the split to give his man more time to recover, or so the story goes – and he eventually won the fight.
A pair of gloves featuring a split and said to be from the fight were sold by Christie’s in 2001.
But Stuart, of Chard Auctions in Somerset, is now selling a glove – signed by Cooper.
He has set a guide price of £300,000 to £500,000 – with the lot description calling it “genuine”.
Stuart, 53, said: “I’m so excited about this sale. When I saw the pictures of the glove and all the evidence of its provenance it blew me away.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to bits that I’ve been chosen to promote this and to sell it on.”
The glove is being kept in a secret location and will be auctioned on June 18 – the 61st anniversary of the fight, which took place at Wembley Stadium.
Stuart claims the glove was returned to makers Baily’s, based in Glastonbury, straight after the fight.
It remained there until Richard Mayers, a since-deceased managing director, gave the glove to his partner, Stuart claims.
The woman’s son, Simon Hawkins, 54, from Seaton, Devon, is now selling the glove.
A handwritten letter from Richard to his partner, that Stuart has, says he joined the company in 1963.
It said: “I declare this glove to be genuine. I’ve always been aware of it’s significance, safety, and provenance.”
The Christie’s gloves were sold to an advertising executive for £37,600 in 2001, according to newspaper reports.
They featured in an Ali exhibition some years later.
Christie’s declined to comment.
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