George Foreman is in the heavyweight history books for defying the odds quite incredibly.
The thudding puncher from Marshall, Texas was heavyweight world champion for the first time in 1973 with a knockout victory over Joe Frazier.
Following defences against Jose Roman (KO 1) and Ken Norton (TKO 2) ‘Big’ George was handed his first professional defeat by one Muhammad Ali in Kinshasa, Zaire – otherwise known as The Rumble In The Jungle.
Foreman was mandatory challenger for a rematch in ’77 but decided on a tune-up fight against Jimmy Young. He lost and retired only to return a decade later and, in ’94, win the world title again against young gun Michael Moorer to become the oldest heavyweight world champion in history at 45-years-old – a record he holds to this day.
Both fearsome and fearless, it’s hard to imagine the two-time champion ever not backing himself to win when stepping through the ropes but, as humble as ever, Foreman admitted on social media that he simply didn’t have the beating of Ali.
“Once in the ring with the great Ali was enough for me. If I’d changed my approach back then he’d [have] another plan. Nothing beats some fighters but time.”
4-1 underdog Ali made his rope-a-dope technique famous that night, putting his back to the ropes and shelling up to force Foreman to use his energy. The smaller man fired back when he could to further sap ‘Big’ George.
When he had his man tired enough, Ali pounced with a combination in the eighth that put Foreman down. The referee called it before he could get to his feet.
