Ali vs Liston canvas
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- Regular price€19,00
The essentials: the Lewiston 1965 scene repainted in colour — Ali standing over Sonny Liston — topped by a large portrait of Ali and a boxing glove in the foreground. Crossed strokes of blue, turquoise, pink and orange with visible drips. 10 sizes from 20 × 30 cm / 8 × 12 in to 110 × 160 cm / 43 × 63 in, portrait format. Frame sold separately. From €19 to €109 depending on size, free standard shipping.
The punch nobody saw
On 25 May 1965 the Ali–Liston rematch was held in Lewiston, Maine, in front of 2,434 people — the smallest crowd ever recorded for a world heavyweight title fight. Liston went down in the first round to a short right hand the arena never saw leave. Reporters called it the phantom punch, and the argument about whether it landed cleanly has never closed.
What the image shows is the second after: Ali refusing to go to a neutral corner and ordering his opponent to get up. Referee Jersey Joe Walcott, a former world champion himself, lost the count; the result went into the record at 2:12 of round one.
This canvas does not reproduce the photograph. It repaints it, keeping the posture and replacing black and white with worked colour.
What you see
Portrait format, built in three stacked planes. At the top, Ali's face at full width, looking straight out, hair and background worked in crossed strokes of blue, green and pink. In the middle, the Lewiston scene at small scale: Ali leaning forward, mouth open, red gloves, white trunks with an Everlast waistband, above Liston lying flat in the lower foreground, also in red gloves. Bottom left, a black boxing glove takes up close to a quarter of the surface.
Paint runs and spatter cross the bodies and the background alike. From 3 m / 10 ft you read a face and a burst of colour; from 1 m / 3 ft every brush mark and every spatter separates out.
Technical specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Subject | Portrait of Muhammad Ali and the Lewiston scene, 25 May 1965 |
| Finish | Digital painting, crossed strokes and visible drips |
| Dominant colours | Deep blue, turquoise, orange, pink, red gloves |
| Orientation | Portrait |
| 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: 110 × 160 cm / 43 × 63 in is the largest size of this canvas, and the one that holds a home gym wall or a bare span over three metres / 10 ft. The portrait at the top stays readable from 50 × 70 cm / 20 × 28 in upwards. 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.
A stacked composition needs ceiling height
The design is built on three levels, so it asks for height rather than width. On a wall 2.50 m / 8 ft 2 in high, 80 × 120 cm / 31 × 47 in still leaves about 65 cm / 26 in of air above and below, which is the minimum for the portrait to breathe. The size chart by wall type covers the other placements room by room.
You may also like
- Ali vs Liston 1965 canvas — the 1965 press photograph in black and white, if you want the document as it was published.
- Muhammad Ali gold chain canvas — a graffiti portrait with the full quote painted in yellow, if you want text to read on the wall.
- Boxing ring canvas — the ring shot from above on a square format, if you have a narrow wall between two doors.
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 size chart by wall type is on the Ali vs Liston 1965 page.
Why is Ali standing over Liston?
Because he would not walk to a neutral corner. Liston went down in the first round in Lewiston on 25 May 1965 and Ali stood above him shouting at him to get back up. Under the rules the count cannot start until the standing fighter reaches a neutral corner, which is how the timekeeper and referee Jersey Joe Walcott ended up out of step with each other.
Is there a black and white version of this scene?
Yes. The Ali vs Liston 1965 canvas reproduces the press photograph itself, in high contrast black and white, in the same ten sizes.
What is the largest size available?
110 × 160 cm / 43 × 63 in, the largest of the ten sizes offered on this canvas. If you need a square instead, the boxing ring canvas goes up to 100 × 100 cm / 39 × 39 in.
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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