On Oct. thirty, 1974, Muhammad Ali and George Foreman took function in ane of the biggest matches in boxing history, "The Rumble in the Jungle," in Kinshasa, Zaire (at present the Democratic Republic of Congo). Information technology wasn't often that Ali came into a fight equally an underdog, simply that's precisely what he was confronting Foreman, who was the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world and considered by many to be unbeatable, particularly after dominating the likes of Joe Frazier and Ken Norton. However, in front end of threescore,000 spectators at 20 May Stadium (or Stade du 20 Mai) and a worldwide Goggle box audition believed to be effectually a billion people, Ali shocked the world with an eighth-round knockout, handing Foreman his first loss in 41 professional fights.

Boxing fans clamored for a rematch, as did Foreman himself, simply a 2d bout would never happen. This is a await at why a second fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman didn't take identify.

Virtually people idea Muhammad Ali would lose to George Foreman

George Foreman vs Muhammed Ali during "The Rumble in the Jungle" ceavyweight championship boxing match on October 30, 1974 in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo)
George Foreman vs Muhammed Ali | Ken Regan /Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

When Muhammad Ali was stripped of the heavyweight crown in 1967 for refusing induction into the armed forces, George Foreman hadn't even hitting the professional boxing scene yet. Foreman would win the gold medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City and quickly rose through the heavyweight ranks during Ali's three-yr pause, dominating his opponents with his punching ability.

When Ali returned to the sport in 1970, he wanted to repossess the title that he'd never lost, and the "Fight of the Century" with undefeated heavyweight champion Joe Frazier was set. Frazier handed Ali his first professional loss and successfully defended his title twice in 1972. However, on January. 22, 1973, Frazier ran into the monster that was George Foreman in his prime. Foreman embarrassed Frazier, who was 29-0 at the time, knocking him out in the 2nd circular to win the title and earning the title of the greatest fighter in the world at the time. Naturally, something similar that didn't sit well with Muhammad Ali.

In the years following his loss to Joe Frazier, Ali won 12 of thirteen fights, losing merely to Ken Norton earlier meeting up once over again with "Smokin' Joe" on Jan. 28, 1974, in what most looked at as a number one contender's bout. Ali prevailed, setting up his match with George Foreman. Withal, nobody gave Ali much of a chance. Ali was 32 at the time, and many thought he was past his prime. Foreman was still just 25, and it seemed that nobody could handle him. He was too strong and also indestructible to exist browbeaten.

The fight was initially scheduled for Sept. 1974, and both men trained for months in Zaire to become used to the climate. However, eight days earlier the fight, Foreman was cutting in a sparring session, and the fight was moved to late Oct, which was when Muhammad Ali would evidence his critics incorrect.

Ali vs Foreman in 'The Rumble in the Jungle'

When the opening bell rang at "The Rumble in the Jungle," Muhammad Ali surprised everyone past taking the fight correct to George Foreman. Most suspected that he wouldn't desire to get into a toe-to-toe battle with the hard-hitting champion, just he continued to throw straight rights at Foreman'southward head. But Foreman was hitting shots of his own late in the beginning round, which is when Ali decided to change things upwardly.

When the 2nd round began, Ali let Foreman throw shots at him while covering upward on the ropes. The champion was only hit some outside shots on the artillery and body only not racking up any points or hurting Ali. But what he was doing was expending energy in what Ali would subsequently call the "rope-a-dope" technique. When Foreman would tire during the next few rounds, Ali hit him with shots to the confront, and the champion got very puffy. He staggered Foreman to start the 4th round and again at the finish of the fifth.

By the seventh circular, Foreman was visibly exhausted, and when he striking Ali with a make clean blow, a accident that had been knocking out other opponents, the challenger only whispered: "That all you got, George?" In the eighth round, it was clear that Foreman was on his last legs, and Ali took advantage. Right hooks bombarded the champion, and a v-punch combo that ended with a left hook and a straight right sent Foreman to the canvas. Big George struggled to get to his feet, and the fight was called. Muhammad Ali had pulled off the upset and was once over again the heavyweight champion of the world.

Why a rematch betwixt Muhammad Ali and George Foreman never happened

After "The Rumble in the Jungle," a rematch with Muhammad Ali and George Foreman seemed like a mere formality. Fans wanted it, Foreman wanted it, and Ali had a history of big-time rematches with Henry Cooper, Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson, Jerry Quarry, George Chuvalo, Joe Frazier, and Ken Norton. So, a rematch with George Foreman seemed likely, right? Wrong.

Post-obit the fight with George Foreman, Muhammad Ali took fights that seemed a fiddling easier. Five months after "The Rumble in the Jungle," he took on Chuck Wepner, who wasn't given much of a run a risk but gave the champ all he could handle and is best known for existence the fight that inspired Sylvester Stallone to write Rocky. Next upward was Ron Lyle, whom he knocked out in the 11th round, the same fighter that George Foreman knocked out in the 5th round subsequently his xv-month layoff after losing to Ali. Every bit Foreman once told RingTV, right before he fought Lyle, Ali called the former champion to talk about a rematch.

"Ali chosen me at habitation in California, just prior to my fight with Ron Lyle. He said I hear you want a rematch and that'south fine, simply y'all must re-hire Dick Sadler as trainer. I said that Sadler would never work my corner once more and Ali responded, angrily, by saying at that place would be no rematch."

George Foreman on a rematch with Muhammad Ali

Dick Sadler was George Foreman's trainer for years and helped build the style that would assistance him become the earth's heavyweight champion. Unfortunately, he was also the one that may have price Foreman the championship in Zaire. Foreman would later say that Sadler acted very strangely leading upwards to and during "The Rumble in the Jungle" and made zero attempts to stop what was happening during his bout with Ali.

"Every circular he was telling me to assail, attack, assault. He was slapping my leg in the corner, urging me to become him, telling me I had Ali hurt. Not in one case did he ask me to stop and let Ali bring the fight to me. I was the champion that night, just it was as though he was burning me out on purpose."

George Foreman

George Foreman and Dick Sadler parted ways, and Muhammad Ali was adamant that the just way he would fight Foreman once more was if Sadler was dorsum in his corner. Many believe information technology's considering Ali knew that if he always stepped human foot in the ring with Foreman once again, he'd be destroyed as Big George continued to dominate his opponents in his render after the loss in Zaire. While Ali defeated Joe Frazier in their epic trilogy bout, the famous "Thrilla in Manila," it took everything he had, exhausting him by the end of the match. Meanwhile, following the fight with Lyle in 1976, Foreman destroyed Frazier, knocking him out by the 5th round.

Dick Sadler subsequently became a role of Ali's entourage, which evidently got plenty of rumors swirling that he had something to practise with Ali ducking Foreman. But Foreman never bought into that and never bought into Ali being scared of him, at least publically. Despite never getting his shot at Ali again, Foreman, as per usual, showed tremendous class.

"Ali was the bravest human I e'er shared the ring with and it all came down to the issue nosotros had with Dick Sadler. Strange things can happen in boxing matches, that fighters never mention, and I may accept defenseless him with one punch that he wasn't willing to take again.

"A really heavy body shot bent Ali over at the waist and it was obvious he was hurt. When the bell rang to end that particular round he gave me a look and I remember thinking to myself, this is the bravest man I've ever faced. Despite chasing the rematch I asked myself, many times, if I truly wanted to get back in the band with him.

"If Ali was a bear on scared of fighting me again – I was glad of it."

George Foreman

It's unfortunate that the world never got to encounter Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in the ring following "The Rumble in the Jungle." It certainly would have been another slap-up bout between two of the all-time fighters in history.

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