'Muhammad Ali glove' to fetch millions at auction

The damaged glove was, auctioneers claim, worn by Muhammad Ali in his winning fight against Henry Cooper

A boxing glove, which auctioneers say was worn by Muhammad Ali, is set to fetch millions of pounds at auction next month.

The winning red glove was thought to have been worn during the famous 1963 Henry Cooper fight, when Ali was known as Cassius Clay.

“Three thousand hours of research” by Stuart Bull Auctions in Chard, Somerset, has uncovered its long history – which began at two tanneries in Yeovil and Glastonbury.

But there is disagreement over the authenticity of the glove. Trevor Beattie, who bought another glove in 2001, said his was authentic.

The dispute centres on the glove having a hole rather than split. Mr Beattie said: "Clay's glove had a split seam. Not a hole cut in the knuckle. It's not the Glove with the Hole."

Mr Bull estimates the glove, which is currently being kept in a vault at a secret location, will sell online for between £4m and £6m.

“We believe it’s probably the most important boxing glove Cassius Clay ever wore,” said Stuart Bull, director and owner of Stuart Bull Auctions.

“A year later he changed his name to Muhammad Ali so if not for this glove, we may never have heard of him.”

The British Boxing Board of Control commissioned Baily’s of Glastonbury to make both gloves ahead of the fight. It is thought the right-hand glove now belongs to the Qatari Royal Family.

They are made of leather from cape hair sheep, which was dyed a cerise red colour at Pittards Tannery in Yeovil, before being sold to Baily’s for manufacturing.

After the fight, the glove returned to Baily’s for inspection and remained stored there until it was acquired by the vendor’s family.

“From the moment of meeting the family, I had realised that we got the genuine thing,” Mr Bull continued.

“It also came with a letter of provenance along with the deeds of the factory and the actual knockdown.”

The damaged glove is being held in a vault at a secret location

The auction house has produced a 65-page research document which includes letters from the factory and a full list of staff involved in making it.

“We’ve travelled the length and breadth of the country gathering information," Mr Bull said.

“We’ve even spoken to the chap who sold the actual leather to make the gloves from Pittards to Baily's.

“I didn’t doubt it for one minute, but we had some doubters. That’s why we left no stone unturned.”

Memorabilia has 'skyrocketed'

The glove is being sold in an online auction which ends on 31 October.

“Sporting memorabilia is going through the roof at the moment, and since Muhammad Ali's death it’s skyrocketed," said Mr Bull.

“We’re easily looking at six figures, we like to think we’re around about £4m to £6m, probably more.”

Update 23 October: We've added extra context to this article as the authenticity of the glove is disputed.