Artist: Chris Smith
Title: Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier Post-Fight Interview
Year created: 1974
Medium: Black & White Print of 1974 Photograph
Height (inches): 17-1/4
Width (inches): 21-3/8
Depth (inches): 3/4
This piece is framed.
Description of piece:
Add this irreplaceable piece of boxing history to your collection!
The tension between boxing legends Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier is palpable in this iconic photographic image by Chris Smith.
On January 28, 1974, boxing greats Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier met at Madison Square Garden in New York City for Super Fight II. Held in between their two title bouts, The Fight of the Century in 1971, and The Thrilla in Manila in 1975, this second fight was scheduled for twelve rounds.
Only 5 days before Super Fight II, on January 23, 1974, Ali and Frazier had visited the ABC studios in New York City to review their first fight for ABC's Wide World of Sports. While both fighters were reviewing round 11, tensions rose, culminating in Ali holding Frazier by the neck, forcing him to sit down, which broke out into a fight on the studio floor. Both fighters were subsequently fined for this— and the stage was set for their rematch in the ring just 5 days later.
Ali won the non-title twelve-round boxing match Super Fight II by a unanimous decision.
This gritty, historic image captures the two boxing greats in a post-match interview. Ali looks straight ahead as he recounts his victory over Frazier. An irritated Frazier watches intently, his anger visible.
Muhammad Ali has signed this great image in a large signature, in bold silver paint pen. The photograph comes framed and ready for display in a black gallery-style frame. Framed size measures 17-1/4” in height x 21-3/8” width.
Muhammad Ali signed the photograph in the presence of a PSA/DNA representative. Affixed to the photograph, lower right, is an alphanumeric PSA/DNA authenticating label, which corresponds to the full Letter of Authenticity from PSA/DNA which accompanies the photograph.
After winning the Gold Medal for boxing light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome at the age of 18, Ali (then still know as Cassius Clay) turned professional later that same year. At age 22 in 1964, he won the WBA, WBC, and lineal heavyweight titles from Sonny Liston. Recognized as one of the leading heavyweight boxers of the 20th century, Ali remains the only three-time lineal heavyweight champion, having won the title in 1964, 1974, and 1978. He is the only boxer to be named The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year six times. He was ranked as the greatest athlete of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated, the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC, the third greatest athlete of the 20th century by ESPN SportsCentury, and named one of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century by Time magazine. Known as "The Greatest", Ali made sports and boxing history in boxing matches which were viewed around the globe, including the first Liston fight, the "Fight of the Century", "Super Fight II", "Thrilla in Manila" versus his rival Joe Frazier, and "The Rumble in the Jungle" versus George Foreman.