The Greatest

Smith went spent time with Ali on several occasions, building an archive of photographs ofthe boxer both training and away from the gym. The book draws upon a selection of his imagesaccompanied by anecdotes giving insight to Ali’s early morning training sessions, the nowlegendary 5th Street Gym in Miami, those who worked with Ali, the press conferences, interactionswith the public and his conversations with the boxer himself. Smith was present when Ali wastraining for the ‘Fight of the Century’ in 1971 against Joe Frazier and when Ali first surrendered afight in 1980 to the young Larry Holmes.After retiring, most of Smith’s work was archived until he was approached by gallerist Alon Zakaimabout exhibiting his work in a retrospective. Together they went through his vast archive andbrought to light a selection of photographs, exhibited in 2012, and form the basis of this book. Theessay by Paolo Hewitt contextualises the political and social background to Ali’s life and career.

Chris Smith (b. 1937) began working with the Hartlepool Mail at the age of 16. At the age of 19 heundertook two years of national service before moving to London. In the subsequent years hiswork was frequently published in The Observer and The Sunday Times and he covered all themajor sporting events of this period. Smith was awarded The Sports Photographer of the Year fourtimes, as well as the Individual Sports Picture of the Year twice. 1995. He lives and works in London.

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