The 5th Street Gym in Miami Beach is more than a backdrop in Chris Smith’s photographs of Muhammad Ali. Signs, ropes, equipment and spectators help place the boxer in a working environment.
A gym, not a studio
A formal portrait isolates its subject; a gym photograph can do the opposite. Objects and people share the frame with Ali. Looking at those details helps distinguish one photograph from another, even when both show the same athlete preparing for a fight.
Different sessions, different pictures
The Ali archive covers different years and locations. A head guard, a training bag or a familiar pose is not enough on its own to identify a session. Caption research should accompany visual comparison.
For the wider account, read Chris Smith’s photographs at the 5th Street Gym. View Ali on the Heavy Bag, Reflections and Ali and The Beatles to explore different approaches to the gym setting.
For publication details and source context, see The Greatest: the book and its contributors.
Reference: The Greatest (GOST Books, 2024), photographs and short texts by Chris Smith, with essays by Alon Zakaim and Paolo Hewitt. This article is original editorial writing, not an extract from the book.