Description
On October 30th 1974, in the May 20 Stadium, Kinshasa, Zaire. Muhammad Ali fought George Foreman for the World Heavyweight Championship. The fight was set for September 24th, but Foreman received a cut during training so it was rescheduled for October 30th.
Foreman was very powerful and undefeated. He disposed of both Joe Frazier and Ken Norton in the second round with ease. These were Ali’s two most troublesome opponents and because of this, all the critics had Ali beaten before he stepped into the ring, saying, ‘Ali was simply no match for Foreman.’ The people of Zaire were behind Ali, chanting ‘Ali bomaye,’ which means Ali kill him.
Round 1 – Ali came out of his corner up on his toes dancing. Foreman went straight for him, chasing and cutting off the ring trying to trap Ali not allow him to dance. Ali caught Foreman with right hand leads and tied him up when he got close. Towards the end of the round, Forman caught Ali with a few punches.
Round 2 – Ali went to the ropes and covered up allowing Foreman to throw his big powerful bombs at him. Every now and then Ali fired back with punches of his own. His corner kept shouting, ‘get away from the ropes.’ Angelo Dundee later said, ‘when he went to the ropes I felt sick.’ At the end of the round, Dundee pleaded Ali to stay off the ropes. Ali replied, ‘I know what I’m doing.’ Ali invented what he called “The Rope a Dope” where he fought with his back against the ropes in the hope Foreman would punch and tired himself out.
Ali later said, ‘I didn’t really plan what happened that night, but when a fighter gets in the ring he has to adjust according to the conditions he faces. Against George, the ring was slow. Dancing all night my legs would’ve got tired and George was following me too close, cutting off the ring. In the first round, I used more energy staying away from him than he used chasing me, so between rounds I decided to do what I did in training when I got tired.’
During the fight, Foreman threw punches that were mostly blocked by Ali, but when some got through, Ali was able to take them. Ali said after the fight, ‘a few times he shook me bad, especially with the right hand but I blocked and dodged most of what he threw, and each round his punches got slower and hurt less when they landed.’ When Ali and Foreman were locked in clinches, Ali leaned on Foreman making him support his weight and tire him out even more. Ali constantly taunted Foreman, ‘hit harder.’ – ‘Show me something George.’ – ‘That don’t hurt, I thought you were supposed to be bad.’ – ‘Is that all you got George.’
Round 8 – Ali was against the ropes when he unleashed a barrage of punches, a left hook brought Foreman’s head up into position, Ali nailed him with a hard-right hand straight on the jaw. Foreman, he was hurt, he staggered half way across the ring before landing on his back. He got up but not quick enough, the referee Zack Clayton counted him out and waved that the fight was over. Ali won by a knockout and became the undisputed World Heavyweight Champion for a 3rd time.
After the fight, Ali said, ‘All of my critics’ crawl, all of you suckers who write The Ring Magazine, Boxing Illustrated, all of you suckers bow. I told you all, I told you all that I was the greatest of all times when I beat Sonny Liston. I told you today, I’m still the greatest of all times.’ – Foreman said, ‘for a long time I was bitter and making excuses. I should’ve said the best man won but I never lost before so I didn’t know how to lose. The rope-a-dope, I was the dope.’
Muhammad Ali regained the title in a huge upset. “The Rumble in the Jungle” has become one of the most famous fights of all time.
