Gloves from infamous Ali-Liston rematch up for auction

In this May 25, 1965, photo, Muhammad Ali stands over Sonny Liston shortly after dropping him less than two minutes into the first round of their heavyweight title fight, in Lewiston, Maine. Just months before the 50th anniversary of the fight, which remains one of the most controversial sporting events of the 20th century, both pairs of gloves are going on the auction block for the first time. (Text and Photo: AP)

Updated on: Jan 24, 2015 10:36 AM IST

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In this May 25, 1965, photo, Muhammad Ali stands over Sonny Liston shortly after dropping him less than two minutes into the first round of their heavyweight title fight, in Lewiston, Maine. Just months before the 50th anniversary of the fight, which remains one of the most controversial sporting events of the 20th century, both pairs of gloves are going on the auction block for the first time. (Text and Photo: AP)

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Heritage Auctions is offering the gloves as a single lot on February 21 in New York. The auctioneer expects they will sell for more than $1 million (more than Rs 6 crore). Bidding will start at $500,000. Some still believe the first-round knockout was with a "phantom punch". Footage of the fight does not make it clear whether Ali's quick right hand actually connected, and many fans booed. Even the most famous photos of the fight show an enraged Ali standing over Liston as he lay on the canvas, gesturing and yelling at him to get up and fight. (Text and Photo: AP)

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Sonny, right, lands a blow on Ali in the first moments of the fight. Given the controversial way the bout ended, the boxers' gloves were seized by George Russo, the boxing commissioner for Maine. The gloves remained in the Russo family until they were purchased several years ago by a California collector who is now selling them. (Text and Photo: AP)

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The gloves of Liston (front) and Ali (rear) sit on a table at Heritage Auctions by a photo and magazine depicting a moment captured during their 1965 fight. Ali signed both pairs of gloves when he came to Lewiston in 1995 to celebrate the fight's 30th anniversary. Liston died in 1970. (Text and Photo: AP)

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Chris Ivy, director of sports auctions at Heritage Auctions, holds the autographed gloves of Ali and Liston. There have been many theories about what exactly happened: Did Liston, an ex-con known as the Big Bear, throw the fight because he was in debt to the mob? Or did Ali actually deliver a perfectly landed punch? (Text and Photo: AP)

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The Lewiston rematch was the first bout in which Ali stepped into the ring as Muhammad Ali after converting to Islam. He was still Cassius Clay a year earlier when he won the championship from Liston in Miami. His glove from that bout sold last year at Heritage Auctions for $836,500. (Text and Photo: AP)