{"id":39679,"date":"2024-09-18T19:23:29","date_gmt":"2024-09-18T19:23:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alicenter.org\/?page_id=39679"},"modified":"2024-11-01T19:10:04","modified_gmt":"2024-11-01T19:10:04","slug":"roadwork-to-the-rumble","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/alicenter.org\/roadwork-to-the-rumble\/","title":{"rendered":"Roadwork to the Rumble"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
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Roadwork to the Rumble<\/div><\/h2> \n\n\t <\/div>\n\n\t <\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t
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Photo Credit: Sonia Katchian<\/span><\/div>\n\t\t\t \t<\/div>\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t <\/div>\n\n\t <\/div> \n\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n\n\n\r\n
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The Rumble in the Jungle: Oct. 30, 1974<\/h1>\r\n
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The Famous Heavyweight Match-Up<\/h4>\n

Fifty years ago, Muhammad Ali prepared for one of the most important fights of his career. He was set to face a younger, stronger boxer to reclaim the heavyweight title that had been stripped from him seven years earlier. Many elements of this bout are etched in history, making it one of the greatest fights of all time.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Originally scheduled for September 25, the fight was delayed after George Foreman sustained a cut above his right eye during a sparring session with Bill McMurray. Postponed by five weeks, the bout finally took place on October 30, 1974, in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) at 4 a.m. local time\u2014prime time for US viewers\u2014at the 20th of May Stadium (now titled “<\/span>Stade Tata Rapha\u00ebl,” or <\/span>Father Raphael Stadium).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Don King, the event\u2019s promoter, convinced Zaire\u2019s President Mobutu Sese Seko to sponsor the fight. Both Ali and Foreman were paid $5 million each. The fight became the most watched live broadcast at the time, drawing over 50 million viewers worldwide and approximately 60,000 in-person attendees. It grossed an estimated $100 million. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During the fight, Ali famously introduced the Rope-a-dope technique, leaning on the ropes to absorb punches while conserving his energy and allowing Foreman to tire himself. As Foreman grew fatigued, Ali whispered tauntingly into George\u2019s ear, \u201cThat all you got, George?\u201d before delivering a knockout blow in the eighth round to win his second Heavyweight Championship title.<\/span><\/p>\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n<\/div>\n\n\r\n

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The Fighters Arrive<\/h2>

Ali and Foreman arrived in Zaire more than a month ahead of the match to train.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n <\/header> \r\n\r\n <\/div> \r\n\r\n <\/div> \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n

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The Fighters Arrive<\/h2>

Ali and Foreman arrived in Zaire more than a month ahead of the match to train.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n <\/header> \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n<\/div>\n\n\r\n

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Bring the Crew<\/h4>\n

Weeks before the originally scheduled fight, both Ali and Foreman arrived in Zaire to prepare. Ali landed on the evening of September 10, 1974, with an entourage of over thirty people, including family, friends, and sparring partners, aboard President Mobutu\u2019s private plane. Foreman followed 24 hours later, arriving on the evening of September 11 with his team of 19, which included trainers Dick Sadler and Archie Moore. Foreman also brought his German Shepherd, Dahgo, which further endeared Ali to the local crowd, as the dog reminded many of the police dogs used during Belgium\u2019s colonial rule.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n<\/div>\n\n\r\n

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In Each Corner<\/h2>\r\n <\/header>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n<\/div>\n\n\r\n
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Muhammad Ali<\/h3>\n

Former Heavyweight Champion<\/h4>\n

Age: 32
\nWeight: 216 lbs
\nHeight: 6 ft 3 in
\nHometown: Louisville, Kentucky
\nNicknames: \u201cLouisville Lip\u201d, \u201cGreatest of All Time\u201d, \u201cThe People\u2019s Champ\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Ali began boxing professionally in October 1960 and began his career as an Olympic gold medalist, winning as a light heavyweight at the games in Rome, Italy in 1960. Ali won his first World Heavyweight Championship title in 1964, defeating Sonny \u201cThe Big Bear\u201d Liston. As he prepared to fight Foreman, Ali had a professional record of 44-2, including 31 career knockouts.\u00a0 Despite his impressive career, he was considered a 4-1 underdog going into the ring.<\/div>\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n<\/div>\n\n\r\n
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George Foreman (Houston, TX)<\/h3>\n

Heavyweight Champion<\/h4>\n

Age: 25
\nWeight: 220 lbs
\nHeight: 6 ft 4 in
\nHometown: Houston, Texas
\nNickname: \u201cBig George\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like Ali, Foreman also started his professional boxing career as gold medalist. In 1968, he won in the heavyweight boxing division at the Olympic Games in Mexico City, Mexico. Before the Rumble, Foreman was the reigning World Heavyweight Champion. He took the title from one of Ali\u2019s most infamous rivals, Joe Frazier,\u00a0in January of 1973. With an undefeated record of 40-0 and 37 career knockouts at the time of the fight in Zaire, Foreman was considered unbeatable and highly favored to retain his title.<\/div>\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n<\/div>\n\n\r\n
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