Ali vs Liston 1965 canvas
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- Regular price€19,00
The essentials: the most reproduced photograph in boxing — Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston, fist drawn back, mouth open. Black and white print on cotton canvas, 10 sizes from 20 × 30 cm / 8 × 12 in to 110 × 160 cm / 43 × 63 in. Frame sold separately. From €19 to €109 depending on size, free standard shipping.
Two photographers, one second, two famous frames
On 25 May 1965, in Lewiston, Maine, Muhammad Ali defended his heavyweight title against Sonny Liston in front of 2,434 people — the smallest crowd ever recorded for a world heavyweight championship. Liston went down in the first round to a short right hand most of the arena never saw leave. The press named it the phantom punch.
Two photographers sitting a seat apart fired within milliseconds of each other. Neil Leifer, 22, was shooting colour on a Rolleiflex for Sports Illustrated and came away with a square frame. John Rooney, of the Associated Press, was working a 35 mm SLR and came away with this rectangular black and white frame — the one that went out on the AP wire and onto front pages around the world. That is the print reproduced here.
Ali refused to go to a neutral corner and stood over Liston telling him to get up. Referee Jersey Joe Walcott lost the count in the confusion, and the official time went into the record as 2:12 of round one.
What you see
Landscape frame. Ali stands at the centre, legs apart, right arm drawn back, dark gloves, white trunks with a wide black waistband reading Everlast. Liston lies across the lower half on his back, head to the right. The ropes and a corner post close the frame on the right; behind them, rows of spectators and the ringside press.
The balding head between Ali's legs belongs to Herb Scharfman, the Sports Illustrated photographer seated on the far side of the ring. Liston fell on the wrong side for him, and he ended up inside the picture instead of taking it.
High contrast, deep blacks, no colour at all. From 3 m / 10 ft you read a ring scene; from 1 m / 3 ft you can pick out the grain of the period print and the lettering on the waistband.
Technical specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Subject | Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston, Lewiston, 25 May 1965 |
| Finish | Black and white photograph, high contrast |
| Orientation | Landscape |
| Material | Cotton canvas, high definition digital print |
| Inks | Pigment based, UV resistant |
| Thickness | 3 mm / 0.12 in |
| Canvas delivery | Rolled in a protective tube, no stretcher bars |
| Frame | Frame sold separately |
| Care | Dry microfibre cloth, barely damp cloth if needed |
| Use | Indoor |
| Sizes | 20 × 30, 30 × 45, 40 × 60, 50 × 70, 60 × 90, 70 × 100, 80 × 120, 90 × 130, 100 × 150, 110 × 160 cm (8 × 12 to 43 × 63 in) |
| Price | From €19 to €109 depending on size |
| Shipping | Free standard shipping |
Worth knowing: this is the canvas that sits easily in a room already full of colour, because black and white competes with nothing on the wall. Frames are sold separately: wooden frame up to 100 cm / 39 in per side, XXL wooden frame from 110 to 200 cm / 43 to 79 in, or aluminium frame in 8 finishes.
Which size for which wall
The rule picture hangers work to is simple: a piece covers about two thirds of the width of the furniture below it, and its centre sits 145 cm / 57 in from the floor — the eye level most museums use. The table below covers the placements people ask about most.
| Placement | Available width | Recommended size |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance, hallway | 80 to 120 cm / 31 to 47 in | 30 × 45 or 40 × 60 cm (12 × 18 or 16 × 24 in) |
| Desk, behind the monitor | 120 to 160 cm / 47 to 63 in | 50 × 70 or 60 × 90 cm (20 × 28 or 24 × 35 in) |
| Two-seater sofa | 140 to 160 cm / 55 to 63 in | 60 × 90 or 70 × 100 cm (24 × 35 or 28 × 39 in) |
| Three-seater sofa | 200 to 220 cm / 79 to 87 in | 80 × 120 or 90 × 130 cm (31 × 47 or 35 × 51 in) |
| Queen headboard | 140 to 180 cm / 55 to 71 in | 70 × 100 or 80 × 120 cm (28 × 39 or 31 × 47 in) |
| Home gym wall | over 300 cm / 118 in | 100 × 150 cm (39 × 59 in) |
On a bare wall with no furniture below, count roughly a quarter of the width of the wall instead. Two canvases hung side by side sit 5 to 8 cm / 2 to 3 in apart: any wider and the eye reads them as two separate objects.
You may also like
- Ali vs Liston canvas — the same second repainted in blue and orange, if you want colour on a light wall.
- Ali vs Liston gold canvas — the scene replayed inside a gilded theatre, in a wide landscape frame, if you want to cover a three-seater in one piece.
- Muhammad Ali pool canvas — the 1961 underwater photograph in turquoise, if you want an Ali image that looks like nothing else.
Frequently asked questions
What size canvas should I hang above a sofa?
The working rule is about two thirds of the width of the furniture below it, centred 145 cm / 57 in from the floor. Over a 200 cm / 79 in three-seater, that means 80 × 120 cm / 31 × 47 in; over a two-seater, 60 × 90 cm / 24 × 35 in; in a hallway, 30 × 45 cm / 12 × 18 in. The full chart of placements is further up this page.
Who took the famous photo of Ali standing over Liston?
Two men, from seats a few feet apart. John Rooney of the Associated Press shot the rectangular black and white frame on a 35 mm SLR — the one that went out on the wire and made the front pages, and the one printed here. Neil Leifer shot colour on a Rolleiflex for Sports Illustrated, which is why his version is square.
What was the phantom punch?
The short right hand that dropped Liston in the first round on 25 May 1965. It travelled a few inches and a large part of the arena never saw it land, which is where the name comes from. Ali refused to go to a neutral corner, referee Jersey Joe Walcott lost the count, and the finish was recorded at 2:12.
Who is the bald man between Ali's legs?
Herb Scharfman, a Sports Illustrated photographer who had taken a seat on the opposite side of the ring that night. Liston fell facing the other bank of cameras, so Scharfman appears in the most reproduced sports photograph ever taken instead of having shot it.
Does the canvas come with a frame?
No, the canvas ships on its own, rolled in a protective tube. Frames are sold separately: wooden frame up to 100 cm / 39 in per side, XXL wooden frame from 110 to 200 cm / 43 to 79 in, or aluminium frame in 8 finishes. The wooden kits are 2.5 cm / 1 in thick and come with instructions.
How do I clean a canvas print?
A dry microfibre cloth handles almost everything. For a mark that stays, use a barely damp cloth with no detergent, wiping across the surface. No abrasive sponge, no glass cleaner.
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