Muhammad Ali’s trunks worn during the 1975 boxing bout against Joe Frazier dubbed ‘The Thrilla in Manila’ are on display during 'Sports Week' auctions at Sotheby's in New York City on April 4, 2024. AFP
Muhammad Ali’s trunks worn during the 1975 boxing bout against Joe Frazier dubbed ‘The Thrilla in Manila’ are on display during 'Sports Week' auctions at Sotheby's in New York City on April 4, 2024. AFP
Muhammad Ali’s trunks worn during the 1975 boxing bout against Joe Frazier dubbed ‘The Thrilla in Manila’ are on display during 'Sports Week' auctions at Sotheby's in New York City on April 4, 2024. AFP
Muhammad Ali’s trunks worn during the 1975 boxing bout against Joe Frazier dubbed ‘The Thrilla in Manila’ are on display during 'Sports Week' auctions at Sotheby's in New York City on April 4, 2024. A

Muhammad Ali 'Thrilla in Manila' shorts expected to fetch $6 million at auction


Steve Luckings
  • English
  • Arabic

The shorts worn by the great Muhammad Ali in his legendary 1975 boxing bout the "Thrilla in Manila" are expected to be sold for close to $6 million at auction at Sotheby's in New York next week.

Bids for the Everlast-branded white with black stripe shorts have been rolling in since March, including at least one bid of $3.8 million.

The trunks, signed by Ali, were sold for $150,000 in 2012 but are likely to fetch 40 times that sum now, according to Sotheby's.

The auction is open until April 12.

Ali's "Thrilla in Manila" fight against Joe Frazier was held in the Philippines and followed his "Rumble in the Jungle" bout in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then Zaire) the year before.

Ali's fight in the Philippines went to 14 rounds before Frazier's coach threw in the towel. The fight is considered one of the greatest in boxing history.

"It was like death. Closest thing to dying that I know of," Ali said of the fight, which was held amid stifling heat and humidity, with temperatures heightened by TV lights. Ali, born Cassius Clay in the southeastern state of Kentucky, is known as both a sporting great and for his role in fighting for civil rights for African Americans. He died in 2016 age 74. Frazier passed in 2011 age 67.

As well as being signed by Ali, the Everlast trunks are also inscribed by his corner man, Drew 'Bundini' Brown, who died in 1988 – they fetched just $1,000 (£800) when auctioned after his death.

In 2022, Ali's WBC heavyweight belt from his 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” fight was sold at auction on Sunday for $6.18 million, making it fourth-most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever sold.

Auction houses are increasingly tapping into the lucrative sports memorabilia market in recent years. Six shirts worn by Argentina captain Lionel Messi at the 2022 World Cup sold in December for nearly $8 million.

In December 2022, legendary basketball player Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls 1998 NBA Finals jersey sold for a record $10.1 million. In the same year, sneakers worn by Jordan – a pair of Nike Air 13s – sold for $2.2 million, making them one of the most expensive pair of trainers ever bought.

In May 2022, the famous 'Hand of God' shirt worn by Argentina footballer Diego Maradona during the 1986 World Cup quarter-final against England fetched £7.1 million at auction.

The sale comes as Sotheby's is auctioning off a slew of sports lots, including a uniform from NBA star Victor Wembanyama.

Despite a growing interest in historic sporting items, Sotheby's said that, as of Thursday, the minimum price agreed to by the seller of Ali's shorts has not yet been reached.

Also for sale is a raft of NBA jerseys, including French player Wembanyama's complete uniform from an exhibition game held earlier this year.

Interest in the game day goods also apparently extends to items from Wembanyama's locker – including a chair, water bottles and a towel.

The jersey, Sotheby's estimates, is expected to sell for $80-120,000. The locker contents are estimated to go for $5-7,000.

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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

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Innotech Profile

Date started: 2013

Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari

Based: Muscat, Oman

Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies

Size: 15 full-time employees

Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing 

Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now. 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to vote

Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.

They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi

Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday) 

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  • Financial well-being incentives 
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About Karol Nawrocki

• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.

• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.

• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.

• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.

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Rating: ****

War and the virus
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Squad

Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas) 

Updated: April 06, 2024, 5:21 AM`