LOS ANGELES _ In L.A.'s Hancock Park neighborhood, an Italian Renaissance-style mansion that once belonged to boxing great Muhammad Ali has come on the market for $17 million.
Ali bought the home with his third wife, Veronica, in 1979 around the time of his first retirement, according to the listing brokerage. The couple lived there until their divorce in 1986.
Built in 1916, the stately home fits right in with the historic estates of Fremont Place. It was designed by John C. Austin, the noted architect responsible for Los Angeles staples such as the Griffith Observatory, the Shrine Auditorium, the Hollywood Masonic Temple and Los Angeles City Hall.
Spanning 1.5 acres, the property centers on a 14,500-square-foot mansion with seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms. Dramatic chandeliers top living spaces replete with stone fireplaces, wood paneling and stained glass windows.
Highlights include a grand entry hall, a formal dining room, a living room with bay windows, a den with a wet bar and a rounded breakfast nook. On the side of the home, a half-circle sunroom receives light from glass ceilings.
A fireplace anchors the master suite, which opens to a column-lined deck. The landscaped grounds also hold a flagstone patio, a grassy yard and a series of fountains and lounges.
Ali, who died three years ago at 74, is considered one of the greatest boxers and athletes of all time. A native of Louisville, Ky., the heavyweight won 61 fights during his career, including a memorable 1964 defeat of then-champion Sonny Liston, and was the only fighter to win the heavyweight crown three times.
