Montblanc pays homage to Muhammad Ali with this limited edition 1942 fountain pen, part of their celebrated Great Characters collection. Muhammad Ali was one of the most influential athletes and humanitarians of the 20th century, due to his legendary athleticism and incredible civil rights activism. As such, few athletes have been as celebrated and honoured as this three-time Heavyweight Champion of the world. He first gained this title at just 22 years of age, a remarkable accomplishment that was a result of his strength, skill, and personality. However, his greatest triumphs resulted from his humanitarian efforts. The precious lacquer on the cap represents the distinct pattern on the robe Ali wore when entering the 1974 fight in Kinshasa, Zaire, and the gold-coated butterfly represents his iconic fighting style, "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee". The point at the end of the pen completes that phrase, and the four lacquered lines resemble the ropes of a boxing ring. The gold-coated barrel displays the pattern of boxing tape athletes use for wrapping their hands. Inscriptions on the cone refer to two famous fights of Ali's, nicknamed "Rumble in the Jungle" (1974) and "Thrilla in Manila" (1975). The Montblanc iconic snowcap emblem in white precious resin is decorated with a "2", to acknowledge his second title. The boxing championship belt-shaped clip bears his name, and to finish the design, the handcrafted solid Au 750 bi-colour gold nib shows a boxing glove. This striking limited edition 1942 Great Characters Muhammad Ali fountain pen will be presented inside a Montblanc Muhammad Ali presentation box, and will be accompanied by a 2-year international warranty/guarantee booklet filled out on the day of purchase.