For 100 years — through periods of major influence, scandal, and financial woes — The Ring endured in print as “The Bible of Boxing” until, like so many other publications, it retreated into a digital-only format at the end of 2022. After a recent purchase by Turki Al-Sheikh (Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia), The Ring is back in physical form with the promise of 100-page (!) issues every month.

This issue from October 1962 shows a 20-year-old Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) dodging a punch from Billy Daniels in Ali’s 14th pro fight. It was Ali’s first appearance on the cover of The Ring. This copy is one of three graded 6.0 by CGC, and there are only two graded higher — both at 6.5. A year and a half before Ali knocked out Sonny Liston to win the heavyweight title, it probably didn’t seem like an issue worth keeping in good condition.

Not a bad condition from a 1965 fight! This was the fight where Muhammad Ali knocked out Sonny Liston in the first round and an iconic boxing photo was taken with Ali flexing and looking down over the called body of Liston. The ticket itself isn’t super rare and there are a few other color variations. This one is harder to find compared to the yellow and red versions, and it’s in fantastic condition. Man, I don’t like the age of digital entry to events as physical ticket are a nice way to capture and memorialize big events and games!

I worked at a magic shop in the early ‘90s. One day Muhammad Ali came in. He was a fan of magic. He wasn’t speaking at the time and was pretty shaky. I asked for his autograph and gave him a notepad. He signed three pages. I found them recently at my parents‘ house.