March 2014 Auction Ends Thursday, March 27th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/27/2014
Muhammad Ali and rival Joe Frazier dual-signed World Heavyweight Boxing Championship contract. Two-page contract is signed by both "Joe Frazier" and "Muhammad Ali aka Cassius Clay" for the bout between undefeated Ali and undefeated Frazier in the "Fight of the Century." This represents one of a handful of attempts made at staging the much-anticipated Fight of the Century before it finally came to fruition on 8 March 1971 at Madison Square Garden. Ali, as a result of his conviction for draft evasion during the Vietnam War, was stripped of his World Heavyweight Championship title. In addition, his boxing license was revoked in nearly every U.S. state. As a result, the Ali-Frazier fight was initially planned in Toronto, Canada, but the U.S. legal system wouldn't allow Ali, out on bail and appealing his conviction, to leave the country. Ali was rejected by Florida, Texas, and Nevada before promoters approached Michigan. Despite public support for the fight by Detroit's former mayor Jerome P. Cavanagh and Michigan State Athletic Commissioner Chuck Davey, himself a former boxer, Ali's license was not reinstated and the fight was cancelled. The controversial decision was attributed by the media to everything from Michigan's governor to the threat of riots in racial hotbed Detroit. Finally Ali received clearance to box in Atlanta, as Georgia was the only state without jurisdiction over municipalities' individual decisions regarding boxing, but Frazier's fighting schedule prevented the fight from occurring as planned there. Eventually a New York court rescinded its Athletic Commission's decision and hosted the long-awaited and by then super-hyped "Fight of the Century". Contract for the proposed fight details its location as Cobo Hall in Detroit and the date as 21 September 1970. Contract names a contingency - a deadline of 20 July 1970 for the approval of licensing. Contract also requests that a certified public accountant and 10 representatives from Frazier's investment company, Cloverlay Inc., be admitted the night of the fight; also that Cloverlay has a right to license a photographer for the fight. Signed on page 2, "Muhammad Ali aka Cassius Clay" and "Joe Frazier", both in black ink, with signatures large and bold. Document on two sheets measures 8.25" x 13", stapled at top left. A few small holes around staple at top left, else near fine condition.
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier 1970 ''Fight of the Century'' Original Dual-Signed Contract
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