{"id":1140372,"date":"2020-04-14T15:51:01","date_gmt":"2020-04-14T19:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1140372"},"modified":"2022-02-09T16:43:38","modified_gmt":"2022-02-09T21:43:38","slug":"why-there-was-no-muhammad-ali-vs-george-foreman-rematch-after-the-rumble-in-the-jungle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/why-there-was-no-muhammad-ali-vs-george-foreman-rematch-after-the-rumble-in-the-jungle\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Was There No Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman Rematch After ‘The Rumble in the Jungle'?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On Oct. 30, 1974, Muhammad Ali<\/a> and George Foreman<\/a> took part in one of the biggest matches in boxing history, “The Rumble in the Jungle,” in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo). It wasn't often that Ali came into a fight as an underdog, but that's precisely what he was against Foreman, who was the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world and considered by many to be unbeatable, especially after dominating the likes of Joe Frazier<\/a> and Ken Norton. However, in front of 60,000 spectators at 20 May Stadium (or Stade du 20 Mai) and a worldwide TV audience believed to be around a billion people, Ali shocked the world with an eighth-round knockout, handing Foreman his first loss in 41 professional fights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boxing fans clamored for a rematch, as did Foreman himself, but a second bout would never happen. This is a look at why a second fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman didn't take place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people thought Muhammad Ali would lose to George Foreman<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"George
George Foreman vs Muhammed Ali | Ken Regan \/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When Muhammad Ali was stripped of the heavyweight crown in 1967 for refusing induction into the armed forces, George Foreman hadn't even hit the professional boxing<\/a> 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-year suspension, dominating his opponents with his punching power. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Ali returned to the sport in 1970, he wanted to reclaim 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 Jan. 22, 1973, Frazier ran into the monster that was George Foreman in his prime. Foreman embarrassed Frazier, who was 29-0 at the time<\/a>, knocking him out in the second round to win the title and earning the title of the greatest fighter in the world at the time. Naturally, something like that didn't sit well with Muhammad Ali. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the years following his loss to Joe Frazier, Ali won 12 of 13 fights, losing only to Ken Norton before meeting up once 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. Still, 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<\/a>. He was too strong and too indestructible to be beaten. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fight was initially scheduled for Sept. 1974, and both men trained for months in Zaire to get used to the climate. However, eight days before the fight, Foreman was cut in a sparring session, and the fight was moved to late October, which was when Muhammad Ali would prove his critics wrong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ali vs Foreman in ‘The Rumble in the Jungle'<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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