Rare Muhammad Ali items up for auction in Wiltshire

Muhammad Ali is a name known globally as one of the most popular sporting icons in the world.

During his career he won 56 of his 61 professional fights, with 36 knockouts, and he also won an Olympic gold medal in the Rome games in 1960.

But since he died in June 2016, aged 74, items that were owned by or touched by Ali have become more precious than ever before.

This September, unpublished negatives and original test sheets with over 200 unseen candid shots of Mohammed Ali will go on sale in Royal Wootton Bassett.

Alongside this, buyers will have the chance to bid on a signed photo, signed paper and commemorative medal, as well as a masterfilm of an original unpublished advert that Muhammed Ali features in but was never used.

The items will all go under the hammer at RWB Auctions, on Royal Wootton Bassett's High Street.

RWB Auctions valuer Edd Thomas examining the items going up for sale (Image: RWB Auctions Ltd)

“In this season of sporting prowess with this year’s Olympics and Paralympics, we are delighted to be offering such incredible lots featuring a prominent icon of the sporting world," said Edd Thomas of RWB Auctions.

"His legacy and supremacy in the field of boxing remain an inspiration to many.

"It is our privilege to offer this unique collection of items to the world.”

The original 35mm tape master copy of the advert recorded by Muhammad Ali in 1971 is promoting Amstel Malta, a non-alcoholic beverage offered by Amstel.

This footage depicts Ali in his classic boxing kit and quoting his own brand of poetry and fighting talk that made him famous.

It was believed to have been shot only a few months after his ‘Fight of the Century’ match loss to Joe Frazier in 1971.

The signed photos were given to the current owner when they met Ali as a child (Image: RWB Auctions Ltd)

Although Ali was happy to work with many brands over his lifetime, he never promoted alcohol because it was against his religious beliefs.

Reputedly he only agreed to this Malta advert because it was non-alcoholic and for the African market.

Only one other copy of the final advert is known to exist in the Amstel archive in 18mm format.

The other lot, a signed photo and Muhammed Ali commemorative medal dating back to the mid-1970s, was given to the current owner when they met Ali as a child.

The auction will take place on Wednesday, September 11, and buyers can place their bids via rwbauctions.com, The Saleroom, and EasyLive Auctions.