The Rumble in the Jungle: 50th Anniversary

[elmersalsa]

Tonight will mark the 50th Year Anniversary of The Rumble in the Jungle of the George Foreman-Muhammad Ali classic fight in Kinshasa, Zaire in Africa.

It was October 30, 1974. George Foreman, the Heavyweight Champion of the World defends his crown against the aging 32-year old and former Heavyweight Champion of the World, Muhammad Ali.

Ali, an 8-1 underdog, did the unthinkable by applying a new strategy called the rope-a-dope. Something that the boxing fans and experts thought that it was suicidal against a man that hit so hard with a record of 40-0, with 37 knockouts.

The way Foreman, age 24, destroyed former champion Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica in January 1973, got the fans worried for Ali in this fight. Some of them thought that if Frazier beat Ali in 1971 in 15 rounds, and Foreman only took 2 rounds against Frazier, that Foreman was going to blow Ali out.

Another guy that beat Ali, Ken Norton, was totally blown out by Big George also in 2 rounds in Caracas, Venezuela earlier in the year in March.

But, somehow and some way, Ali had the crowd on his side. He was the black hero. The sentimental favorite. And by the strength of the crowd, Ali found a lift in spirits to dethrone Foreman in 8 rounds.

It was one of the greatest fights in boxing history. And Ali's greatest win of his career that cemented his greatness as one of boxing's best and perhaps, the greatest heavyweight boxer of all-time.

Your thoughts of this monumental fight. A fight that crossed over to the masses.

Both fighters received $5 million dollars. A record at the time.

[bennie]

Tonight will mark the 50th Year Anniversary of The Rumble in the Jungle of the George Foreman-Muhammad Ali classic fight in Kinshasa, Zaire in Africa.

It was October 30, 1974. George Foreman, the Heavyweight Champion of the World defends his crown against the aging 32-year old and former Heavyweight Champion of the World, Muhammad Ali.

Ali, an 8-1 underdog, did the unthinkable by applying a new strategy called the rope-a-dope. Something that the boxing fans and experts thought that it was suicidal against a man that hit so hard with a record of 40-0, with 37 knockouts.

The way Foreman, age 24, destroyed former champion Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica in January 1973, got the fans worried for Ali in this fight. Some of them thought that if Frazier beat Ali in 1971 in 15 rounds, and Foreman only took 2 rounds against Frazier, that Foreman was going to blow Ali out.

Another guy that beat Ali, Ken Norton, was totally blown out by Big George also in 2 rounds in Caracas, Venezuela earlier in the year in March.

But, somehow and some way, Ali had the crowd on his side. He was the black hero. The sentimental favorite. And by the strength of the crowd, Ali found a lift in spirits to dethrone Foreman in 8 rounds.

It was one of the greatest fights in boxing history. And Ali's greatest win of his career that cemented his greatness as one of boxing's best and perhaps, the greatest heavyweight boxer of all-time.

Your thoughts of this monumental fight. A fight that crossed over to the masses.

Both fighters received $5 million dollars. A record at the time.

I feel old.

[scorpio83]

Happy Golden Anniversary of the Rumble in the Jungle!

[Caractacus]

[Ambling Alp II]

Loved it.
What a fight. Great action, great storylines.

[SteveO]

One of my favourite fights of all time.

[Caractacus]

I hardly think the 50th anniversary of such an historic ocassion got any news publicity ?
BTW Who is still around involving that fight ?
I wonder how many people who attended are still around 50 years later ,
including all the people who had lined along the roads to watch Ali arrive and leave .
Makes you wonder.

[Caractacus]

[elmersalsa]

I hardly think the 50th anniversary of such an historic ocassion got any news publicity ?
BTW Who is still around involving that fight ?
I wonder how many people who attended are still around 50 years later ,
including all the people who had lined along the roads to watch Ali arrive and leave .
Makes you wonder.

Interestingly and ironically, Don King is still alive.

[elmersalsa]

I hardly think the 50th anniversary of such an historic ocassion got any news publicity ?
BTW Who is still around involving that fight ?
I wonder how many people who attended are still around 50 years later ,
including all the people who had lined along the roads to watch Ali arrive and leave .
Makes you wonder.

Interestingly and ironically, Don King is still alive.

Anderson Ferdie Pacheco, too.

[SteveO]

And George Foreman

[Riddick Bowie]

Ferdie pacheco is long dead.

[Caractacus]

Larry Holmes definately sparred with Ali at the Deer Lake Camp when Ali was training for Foreman.
But did Larry Holmes also go to Zaire in 1974 as Ali's sparring partner for that fight ?
Who is left of Ali's entourage ?
(and George Foreman's as well)

[Caractacus]

[elmersalsa]

Ferdie pacheco is long dead.

Oh, shoot! I have never ever heard of that. So many people had died in the last 10 years that I can't keep count.

I can swear to you that Ferdie Pacheco was still alive. He died at 90 years old.

[p4p1]

I find it surprising that a biopic type of series hasn't been made about this. It's almost made for TV. You have Ali, Don King, Foreman, a dictator, the NOI, a country that most people hadn't heard of, a 3 day music festival featuring some of the greatest names ever in music, a postponement, threats, all capped off by one of the biggest events in boxing history where the most reconisable face on earth triumphed.

[Riddick Bowie]

George Foreman's life would make for an epic multi-part drama. They tried to cram everything into a biopic but it didn't work, there's just too much story for a 2-hour movie.

Youth in the Fifth Ward
Job Corp, amateur career & Olympics
Prospect under Liston
Frazier in Jamaica
Norton in Venezuela
The Jungle
Inactivity, then Lyle thru Young
The decade out
The comeback and the media's mockery
Holyfield

That's 10 hour-long eps in it self and we haven't even got to Moorer. Or the grill! An extraordinary life. Glad he's still around.

[elmersalsa]

George Foreman's life would make for an epic multi-part drama. They tried to cram everything into a biopic but it didn't work, there's just too much story for a 2-hour movie.

Youth in the Fifth Ward
Job Corp, amateur career & Olympics
Prospect under Liston
Frazier in Jamaica
Norton in Venezuela
The Jungle
Inactivity, then Lyle thru Young
The decade out
The comeback and the media's mockery
Holyfield

That's 10 hour-long eps in it self and we haven't even got to Moorer. Or the grill! An extraordinary life. Glad he's still around.

I agree with you, 100%

[Caractacus]

I rather have a full length documentary then a "Bio-pic".
Beginning with were George Foreman was actually born "Possum Ridge" in Texas.

[Caractacus]

[Caractacus]

This concert was held on September 29th 1974 in Zaire, it was originally for the day before the big fight,
but of course Foreman got a cut during sparring and the fight was re-scheduled for October-30th 1974,
I wonder if James Brown got to see the fight later ?
also how many of these musicians that were in the concert lived to see the 50th anniversary ?

[Caractacus]

-1974-

[Caractacus]

[Caractacus]

[Caractacus]

-1976-