LONDON and NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - May 31, 2013) - In a multi-year partnership brokered and managed by IMG Licensing, a division of IMG Worldwide, the global sports, fashion and media company, Muhammad Ali Enterprises has teamed up with Double D, the exclusive worldwide licensee for Adidas combat sports.
Double D is aligning with 'The Greatest™' to launch a collection of technical apparel and boxing performance products which will be co-branded Muhammad Ali™ by Adidas.
Working on behalf of Muhammad Ali Enterprises and Adidas, IMG Licensing and Double D respectively will launch the collection in January 2014 at the global sports trade show ISPO in Munich. This is the first time that the Muhammad Ali brand is partnering with Adidas on technical boxing equipment and sports apparel having previously collaborated on a limited edition fashion collection.
Initially focusing sales in the U.S., European and Australasian markets, the collection will be made available to the public in the months following IPSO via boxing and sport specialty stores, Adidas own brand stores and a dedicated e-commerce website.
The products will consist of high performance technical apparel, footwear and boxing equipment, with the footwear bearing a redesign of the famed white & red color combination worn by Ali in 1974.
Matthew Primack, Vice President of IMG Licensing, said, "We are proud to bring the iconic brands of Muhammad Ali and Adidas together under the specialist production capabilities of Double D. For more than 80 years Adidas has been a leader in the world of sports apparel and equipment using the best manufacturing partners with the most innovative production technologies to assist talented athletes in achieving their maximum potential within their chosen sport. The Muhammad Ali™ by Adidas products extend this competence because Double D will develop products that are technically designed to aid performance while creatively reviving memories of the sport's greatest ambassador at his peak, ensuring his legacy will continue to thrive in boxing gyms and sporting facilities around the world."
Christophe Dessalles, Double-D's Managing Director, said, "Muhammad Ali has been an inspiration for over 50 years. While Adidas boxing may be considered relatively new to the history of the sport of kings, we have managed to take a significant share of the market, taking centre stage in the boxing arena at both Beijing and the London Olympics, as well as other global events, bringing innovation and key technologies into the Boxing ring.
"We are now ready and excited to capture the spirit of Muhammad Ali in this range. As a young boxer whose self-belief changed the views of many, Ali's legendary status has motivated past, and will inspire future, generations -- this is the legacy of the Muhammad Ali™ by Adidas. Coming back to the grass roots of the 'Impossible is Nothing' heritage campaign of times past, this is a range that will once again prove to be a formidable partnership from a boxing legend, with the most authentic sporting performance, and the most inspiring sports brand in the world. A range to inspire, a range that will remind us that in whatever we do... 'Impossible is Nothing.'"
In addition to this collection, IMG Licensing has also agreed to deals with Unibox, an official boxing ring partner based in the UK who have created the very first official Muhammad Ali boxing ring, as well as with Boxercise Ltd for an official Ali branded boxing fitness training program. Launched last year, gym instructors, physical trainers and fitness coaches can become Ali accredited boxing fitness trainers upon completion of the course.
For more information on the Muhammad Ali brand please visit: www.ali.com
About IMG IMG Worldwide is a global sports, fashion and media business, with 3,500 employees operating in more than 30 countries around the globe. IMG's areas of expertise are diverse and wide ranging: IMG College; IMG's Joint Ventures in India, Brazil, China and Turkey; IMG Media; IMG Events and Federations; IMG Golf and IMG Tennis; IMG Fashion; IMG Models; IMG Art+Commerce; IMG Clients; IMG Academy; IMG Consulting and IMG Licensing. More information is available at www.imgworld.com . Follow us on Twitter and Facebook .
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