1966 Muhammad Ali vs. Henry Cooper II Both Pairs of Fight Worn Gloves with Provenance. Rightly or wrongly, many Briti...
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Consign your material to be auctioned alongside these items on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Dallas, TX. Consignment Deadline for this auction is Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
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Description
Blood-soaked gloves from both combatants in Ali's fourth title defense!
1966 Muhammad Ali vs. Henry Cooper II Both Pairs of Fight Worn
Gloves with Provenance. Rightly or wrongly, many British fight
fans believed that their fellow countryman Henry Cooper had been
robbed of victory in his first meeting with the 1960 Gold Medalist,
that Angelo Dundee had intentionally damaged one of Clay's gloves
after a knockdown to buy his dazed fighter some extra time. So,
despite the fact that he had become Heavyweight Champion (and
Muhammad Ali) in the interim, the 46,000 fans packed into London's
Arsenal Stadium had high hopes of an upset as the pair re-engaged
on May 21, 1966.But the Brits would quickly lose hope as they watched the master in his absolute prime, and wiser from the brief drama of the first bout. Cooper said after the fight, "I still had the style that could upset him. But I must say that he's a quick learner, Ali. The second fight he learned. He would stand no nonsense." Cooper rarely found flesh at the terminus of his swings as Ali stuck and moved, ending the fight by inflicting a gaping wound over Cooper's eye that forced the referee to wave off further combat in the sixth.
Both pairs of gloves from this fourth title defense for Ali are on offer here, documented by a letter of provenance from the son of the former Middleweight Champion of the British Navy during the Second World War, who attests they were gifted to his father by promoter Jack Solomons. The eight-ounce (8 oz.) gloves bear the wrist labeling of "Baily's Glastonbury" and perfectly match fight footage. The Ali gloves have "MA" and the notations of the inspecting staff, while Cooper's reveal the same form of initials and notations. Some dark staining on the gloves may very well be blood--take a look at photos from the fight and you'll see there was plenty of it. Letter of provenance from son of original recipient. LOA from Craig Hamilton.
Guide Value or Estimate: $100,000 - up.
Auction Info
2026 February 28 - March 1 Winter Platinum Night Sports Catalog Auction #50083 (go to Auction Home page)
Bidding Begins Approx.
February
6th
Friday
Auction Dates
Feb-Mar
28th-1st
Saturday-Sunday
Proxy Bidding Begins Approx.
32 Days
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: N/A
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 52
Auction Type
Signature Internet Extended Bid: These Auctions are presented via catalog and online. Bidding is taken through our website or via phone. There are two phases of bidding during this type of auction: 1) Normal bidding: Bids are taken up until 10 PM CT the night the auction closes. 2) 30 Minute Ending: On a lot-by-lot basis, starting at 10:00 PM CT, any person who has bid on the lot previously may continue to bid on that lot until there are no more bids for 30 minutes. For example, if you bid on a lot during Normal Bidding, you could participate during Extended Bidding for that lot, but not on lots you did not bid on previously. If a bid was placed at 10:15, the new end time for that lot would become 10:45. If no other bids were placed before 10:45, the lot would close. If you are the high bidder on a lot, changing your bid will not extend the bidding during the 30 Minute Ending phase (only a bid from another bidder will extend bidding). If you are the only bidder at 10 PM, you will automatically win the lot at 10:30. Important: After normal bidding ends, you must be signed-on to the Heritage site to see the bidding option on lots where you qualify for extended bidding and you must be on an individual lot page to reflect the accurate time remaining for that particular lot.
Signature Internet Extended Bid: These Auctions are presented via catalog and online. Bidding is taken through our website or via phone. There are two phases of bidding during this type of auction: 1) Normal bidding: Bids are taken up until 10 PM CT the night the auction closes. 2) 30 Minute Ending: On a lot-by-lot basis, starting at 10:00 PM CT, any person who has bid on the lot previously may continue to bid on that lot until there are no more bids for 30 minutes. For example, if you bid on a lot during Normal Bidding, you could participate during Extended Bidding for that lot, but not on lots you did not bid on previously. If a bid was placed at 10:15, the new end time for that lot would become 10:45. If no other bids were placed before 10:45, the lot would close. If you are the high bidder on a lot, changing your bid will not extend the bidding during the 30 Minute Ending phase (only a bid from another bidder will extend bidding). If you are the only bidder at 10 PM, you will automatically win the lot at 10:30. Important: After normal bidding ends, you must be signed-on to the Heritage site to see the bidding option on lots where you qualify for extended bidding and you must be on an individual lot page to reflect the accurate time remaining for that particular lot.
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