On October 30, 1974, the curtain rose for a ring miracle when Muhammad Ali scored an unforgettable eighth-round knockout over the seemingly invincible heavyweight champion of the world George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire. Half a century on this is still arguably the greatest moment in sporting history.
Foreman, 25, was 40-0 (37 KOs) and hadn’t been extended beyond two rounds in his past eight fights. He’d won the title by thumping “Smokin’” Joe Frazier to the canvas six times in two rounds and was equally devastating against Ken Norton. At the time, Frazier and Norton were the only two fighters to have beaten “The Greatest.”
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The 32-year-old Ali (45-2, 32 KOs) was in good form coming in. Over the previous 13 months, he’d avenged the Frazier and Norton defeats, but the marauding Foreman was expected to be a bridge too far. As always, Ali talked a good game, but few gave him a serious chance of becoming the second man in history to regain the heavyweight championship of the world (only Floyd Patterson had accomplished the feat at that time).
How big was The Rumble in the Jungle as a global event? How good was the fight? How much of a sensation was the result? Ali KO 8 Foreman was awarded The Ring Magazine Fight of the Year, Upset of the Year, Round of the Year (8), with the winner crowned Fighter of the Year. In terms of its historical significance and impact, this showdown has rarely – if ever – been matched.
There’s also myth mixed in with reality when it comes to the ring sorcery that Ali produced on that magic night in the heart of Africa. Some people will tell you that Foreman was dominating the fight and virtually beating a rope-a-doping Ali to death before running out of gas. Only then was Ali able to pull a rabbit out of his hat and score the knockout. That didn’t happen.
The Sporting News goes back in time to re-score The Rumble in the Jungle: George Foreman (Champion) vs. Muhammad Ali (Challenger).
Round 1: Two heavyweights going at it with lightweight intensity. Ali finds his rhythm immediately, shocking Foreman with multiple right-hand leads. The only bad news for Ali is that the champion walks through the fire and blasts home huge shots to the body. Ali wins the opening round.
SN Unofficial scorecard: Ali
Round 2: Foreman comes after the challenger in a frenzy and continues to work the body. Ali introduces the rope-a-dope, and while he absorbs punishment, his counter-punching from this posture is brilliant. Foreman’s head is snapped back by the jab and some well-picked right hands.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: Ali
Round 3: Foreman continues to fire shots at the mid-section to no avail. Ali blasts home a right-hand-left hook off the ropes. The jab also scores, and Ali is now whispering in his rival’s ear. Huge body attack from Foreman and he also lands a big right to the head. The challenger sparkles in the final 20 seconds, scoring three consecutive combinations.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: Even
Round 4: Ali stuns Foreman with a combination in the opening minute. The ex-champ looking to use his speed and timing to counter-punch and is catching Foreman between his shots. Foreman’s attacks are ponderous and he’s hitting the gloves and elbows. The champ scores with a pair of left hooks, body and head, but he looks tired.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: Ali
Round 5: Instead of pacing himself, Foreman comes at Ali even harder. The pair trade some sharp blows with the champion getting the best of it. Ali goes back to the rope-a-dope for a prolonged period and stops throwing. Foreman flailing away and some big misses are interspersed with thumping body shots. In the final thirty seconds, Ali explodes off the ropes and nails the champion with a series of devastating rights. The champ takes this three-minute battle but he’s losing the war.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: Foreman
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Round 6: Foreman appears to have very little left. Ali snaps his head back with the jab and avoids punches effortlessly. The challenger continues to talk to Foreman, then nails him with a sharp right and a three-punch combination punctuated by another right to the chin. Easy round for Ali.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: Ali
Round 7: Ali is struck by an unintentional thumb early in the round and blinks several times. Foreman can’t take advantage, and his labored efforts are almost identical to those in round six. Ali scoring intermittently with the jab and rifling straight rights to the head. Foreman lands a solid right uppercut. Ali nails Foreman repeatedly with the jab and avoids another clumsy assault while stationary in the corner.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: Ali
Round 8: Ali nails Foreman half a dozen times with single shots in the opening minute. The champion misses wildly with a left and almost falls over the top rope. A big right from Foreman lands clean. Almost playfully, Ali touches the target and then covers up. Appearing to be trapped in his own corner, the challenger turns his man and scores a couple of light rights over the shoulder. Suddenly, Ali ups the pace and the power of the punches… A BLAZING COMBINATION ENDS WITH A RIGHT HAND TO THE POINT OF THE CHIN THAT PUTS FOREMAN DOWN. THE COUNT IS 10 AND THERE IS A NEW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD!!!
SN Unofficial Scorecard: –
The two judges and the referee, who was also scoring, had Ali comfortably ahead at the time of the knockout. Judge Nourridine Adalla didn’t award the defending champ a single round, giving Ali three and scoring four sessions even. The other judge had it 4-1-2 to Ali, while the third man in the ring, Zach Clayton, had “The Greatest” ahead 4-2-1.
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