Muhammad Ali glove from Henry Cooper fight worth 'millions' up for sale AGAIN

A different pair of gloves featuring a split and said to be from the fight were sold by Christie's in 2001 for £37,600 - more than double the estimate

An auctioneer is making a second attempt to sell a boxing glove he insists belonged to Muhammad Ali during his iconic 1963 bout with Henry Cooper. A different set of gloves, also claimed to be from the same fight and featuring a tear, fetched £37,600 at a Christie’s auction in 2001, more than doubling their estimated value.

However, Stuart Bull from Chard Auctions in Somerset, faced disappointment when a split left glove he offered in February this year with an ambitious guide price of £300,000 to £500,000 failed to attract buyers in a June online auction. Undeterred, Bull has now relisted the glove, which is stored in a secret vault, with an even higher anticipated online sale price ranging from £4m to £6m.

He has bolstered his claim with a 65-page research dossier, including correspondence from the manufacturing factory. The glove's authenticity is something Stuart is unwavering about, as he stated: "I've never been in any doubt that for one minute - for one second - that I've the genuine glove."

"I know I have it."

"The evidence I have collected since February has just proved that."

According to Stuart, the glove was returned to its manufacturer, Baily's of Glastonbury, immediately after the fight and stayed there until Richard Mayers, a former managing director who has since passed away, gave it to his partner.

Now, the partner's son, Simon Hawkins, 54, from Seaton, Devon, is putting the glove up for sale. Stuart possesses a handwritten note from Richard to his partner, confirming his association with the company began in 1963.

The statement read: "I declare this glove to be genuine. I've always been aware of it's significance, safety, and provenance."

Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.

Stuart claims that his research involved comparing his glove to Cooper's gloves, which he says were made in the same factory, with the same materials and are "identical". The gloves sold at Christie's fetched £37,600 back in 2001, as per newspaper reports.

They later featured in an Ali exhibition. Christie's chose not to comment on the last sale.

Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.