How a photo of Muhammad Ali boxing underwater inspired the founder of a Hong Kong charity that teaches underprivileged people to swim

Libby Alexander, founder of Splash Foundation, saw American photographer Flip Schulke’s 1961 photo ‘Muhammad Ali Boxing Underwater’ while working at Sotheby’s

She says Ali, like many African-Americans at the time, couldn’t swim, and that the photo inspires her in providing swimming lessons to low-income communities

Reading Time:2 minutes

Libby Alexander of Splash Foundation. The Hong Kong charity founder and chief executive shares how the iconic 1961 photo “Muhammad Ali Boxing Underwater” inspired her to teach underprivileged people to swim. Photo: SixSixty Studios

Published: 5:15pm, 21 Feb 2024

American photographer Flip Schulke’s iconic photo “Muhammad Ali Boxing Underwater” (1961) captured the boxing legend and cultural icon aged 19, standing on the floor of a Miami swimming pool in a boxing pose.

Ali had told Schulke that this was his usual training method, but it turned out the boxer couldn’t even swim at the time and was guided instead by his eye for a compelling image.

Libby Alexander, co-founder and chief executive of Splash Foundation, a Hong Kong charity that teaches domestic workers and people in other low-income communities how to swim, tells Richard Lord how it changed her life.

My background is in art and auctions – I used to work in an auction house, Sotheby’s. I first saw this image about 15 years ago.

A vintage print of “Muhammad Ali Boxing Underwater” on display in New York. Photo: Alamy

I was personally engaged with the photo exhibitions where I worked. This one stuck in my head – it’s such a striking image. I love the balance of it – the strength of the pose, perfectly symmetrical.

It’s just one of those things that stayed with me. I feel like everything came together in this image.