1975 Muhammad Ali/Joe Frazier "Thrilla in Manilla" Boxing Posters (2)

Sold For:

$360

Year:

1975

Auction:

2017 Fall

Lot #:

2843

Category:

Internet Only

Presented are two boxing posters promoting the third and final world heavyweight championship fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier: the fabled "Thrilla in Manilla" on September 30, 1975. The first (14 x 22 inches), featuring the artwork of famed sports artist LeRoy Neiman, is the only poster from the United States for the fight and heralds the bout as "The Saga of Our Lifetime." It also makes note of the fact that the fight will not be available on home television or radio. Excellent condition with only some light surface wrinkles along the perimeter. The second poster (15.75 x 23.75 inches) is from Canada and promotes the closed-circuit television broadcast of the fight at the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. Issued by "All Canada Sports Promotions," the poster features an extreme close-up of the two combatants as they stand face to face with each other. The magnitude of the fight is underscored by the poster’s final tag line: “A Sure Sell Out!...Get Your Tickets Early.” This is a particularly rare and impressive poster that is ideal for display. The poster technically grades Good to Very Good condition due to a few light creases and a few minor border tears (including a small area of paper loss in the lower-left corner that could easily be matted out), but has a tremendous visual appeal and is ideal for display. The “Thrilla in Manilla” represented the rubber match between Ali and Frazier and is universally recognized as one of the greatest heavyweight fights on record. In a grueling display of stamina, both fighters slugged it out over fourteen hard-fought rounds. Unlike the first two fights, however, this one did not go the distance, as Frazier was unable to answer the bell for the start of the fifteenth round. After the fight Ali collapsed from exhaustion and was quoted as saying, "I was as close to death as I could imagine.” Total: 2 posters. Reserve $300. Estimate (open).