Congo is preparing to celebrate 30 October, half a century to the day since Ali and Foreman fought for more than just a world title in a ring in what was then Zaire. Ali won in the eighth round of that fight, a fight that became an icon of the sport and elevated Ali to the status of legend and idol.
“I told you, I’m the greatest of all time. Those were Muhammad Ali‘s words immediately after he had knocked out George Foreman in Zaire. It was 30 October 1974, and the fight was about much more than a heavyweight title. It took place in front of 60,000 people. “I told you when I beat Sonny Liston, and I’m telling you now, I’m the greatest”.
Ten years after he’d first triumphed, Ali had reclaimed his throne. At the time, no one was betting on Ali. He wasn’t the favourite – not by a long shot. It had been a decade since his first title win, and his reputation for bravado had only grown. However, in‘The Rumble in the Jungle‘, as the fight became known, Ali didn’t flinch and regained his crown.
Congo prepares to commemorate an event that shaped the world of boxing and, of course, the country. Ali was more than a boxer; he was an influential figure who transcended the sport and inspired generations, both athletically and socially. Several events are being organised to commemorate this historic fight.
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Both Congo and the United States are working together to plan something special, while African boxers in Kinshasa recently honoured Ali in their own way during an amateur tournament this month as they prepare for a continental championship.
It has been 50 years, but every anniversary is a celebration. It was an event that shocked the world. It’s hard to understand boxing without that fight, without what it symbolised, and without what Ali became as a world champion. Back then it was called Zaire, today it’s the Democratic Republic of Congo.
‘The Rumble in the Jungle’Ā brought together more than 600 journalists and was watched by hundreds of millions of people around the world who tuned in via the US network CBS. There was no on-demand streaming at the time. Nowadays, we often hear about “the fight of the century” or “the race of the century”. This really was the fight of the century. Timeless.
The heat was stifling, the humidity oppressive. For some time, Ali had been saying that people had to fight for their rights, to be free. In Zaire, the boxer who had promised glory won. He had been suspended for three years and two months (1967-1970) for refusing to fight in the Vietnam War. The punishment may have delayed his world championship, but it didn’t stop him from becoming the icon he eventually became.
The way Ali won fights, his brash personality outside the ring, his conversion to Islam and his change of name from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali. Everything about this champion was unique and memorable.
Betting odds at the time gave Foreman a 98 per cent chance of winning by knockout. Ali put on a show at the weigh-in and the crowd began to cheer him on in front of nearly 10,000 people. Foreman weighed in at 98.8kg to Ali’s 97.97kg. Ticket sales soared to nearly 60,000, with prices ranging from $10 (9,24 euros) to $250 (231 euros). The fighters’ purses were substantial. The Congo contributed a sum that was divided into three parts: one for Foreman, one for Ali and one to cover organisational costs.
Some sources estimate that up to one billion people around the world watched the fight, making it the most-watched live event at the time. The fight generated around $100 million (9,243 millions of euros) in global revenue. Decades later, the fight became the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary ‘When We Were Kings.’
Injuries, challenges, bureaucracy – the significance of the fight was heightened by the long wait. However, when it finally happened, it didn’t disappoint. “The Rumble in the Jungle was just that: a fight from the start. An intense ordeal, it was held in the early hours of the morning to accommodate American time zones. Ali and Foreman traded punches until the eighth round, when a powerful right hand from the Louisville champion dropped the Texas favourite. It was the first KO defeat of Foreman’s entire career.
