Muhammad Ali’s ‘Thrilla in Manila’ boxing trunks set to be sold for $4-$6 million
Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier fought a total of 3 times. Ali won 2 of the 3 fights.
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Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier (image credit- Marca, Boxing Scene)
Muhammad Ali’s boxing trunks that he wore during his historic trilogy fight against Joe Frazier will be auctioned off for a whopping $4-$6 million. Ali vs. Frazier III, also known as ‘Thrilla in Manila,’ is considered one of the greatest heavyweight fights of all time. It is one of the most exciting matchups from the golden era of boxing. Ali won the fight by a 14th-round knockout and finished the trilogy 2-1 in his favor.
Items that belonged to the heavyweight legend, like his gloves and championship titles, are considered to be very valuable. As such, Ali’s trunk from the fight is coveted because of its historical significance in the boxing world. It was discovered in 1988 at Drew ‘Bundini’ Brown‘s storage unit, eight years after the bout. This happened after Ali’s corner man, Brown, died in 1987 and the storage unit was sold.
At the time, Andrew Heller purchased the items, and he later sold them with the help of Sotheby’s Auctions. The trunks were again sold twice through Robert Edwards Auctions and Heritage Auctions in 2012 and are now being auctioned again after nearly 12 years. The starting bid is $3.8 million, and the estimated value has been set at $4-$6 million by Sotheby’s Auctions.
The trunks have been inscribed by Ali’s cornerman, Brown, with the credits of the fight and the date, which were inscribed after the bout. Furthermore, Muhammad Ali himself signed the trunks with a black Sharpie at the bottom right.
The iconic rivalry and fights between Ali and Fraizer
The trunk is undeniably a boxing historical artifact since it belongs to the legendary boxer. However, the value is also mainly associated with the legendary Ali vs. Frazier III bout. This was the conclusion of their legendary rivalry during their prime, which enticed the world. They first met inside the ring in 1971, and the bout is remembered as the fight of the century.
Both were undefeated heavyweight champions going in, but the fight ended with Ali tasting defeat for the first time in his professional career via a unanimous decision. This intensified their rivalry, and they again met inside the ring in 1974. This event was called Super Fight II. Subsequently, Ali emerged victorious this time via a unanimous decision.
Hence, the tiebreaker for their intense rivalry happened in 1975, when it was called the Thrilla in Manila. This was the fight where Ali wore his trunks, which are now being sold. Furthermore, the fight was a brutal beatdown and ended with Joe Frazier losing via TKO.
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Abhijay Roy
(551 Articles Published)