George Foreman, the hard-hitting boxer from Marshall, Texas, has shared his thoughts on Muhammad Ali's incredible toughness. The former heavyweight champion's reflections come as we approach the 50th anniversary of their legendary 'Rumble in the Jungle' fight in 1974.
Foreman, who fought across four decades and racked up an impressive 76 wins with 68 knockouts, was known for his powerful punches. He made a name for himself by throwing heavy hooks from the hip that put dents in both heavy bags and opponents alike.
Before the historic bout in Zaire, Foreman felt confident. He recalled:
"I thought I'd knock him out easy. One round, two rounds."
But Ali had other plans. During the fight, Foreman landed what he considers his hardest body shot ever. He described Ali's reaction:
"Muhammad cringed, looked at me, and had that look in his eyes, like he was saying, 'I'm not gonna let you hurt me.' Anybody else in the world would have crumbled."
As the fight went on, Foreman started to tire out. Ali, using his famous 'rope-a-dope' strategy, kept talking and playing with his opponent. Foreman remembered hearing Ali's corner man, Angelo Dundee, shouting, "Muhammad, don't play with that sucker." But Ali stuck to his plan, and it worked.
In the end, Ali won by stoppage in the eighth round, cementing the fight's place in boxing history. The victory kicked off a strong run for Ali, who went on to defend his title ten times before losing to Leon Spinks in 1978. Ali won the rematch with Spinks but ended his career with losses to Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick.
Fifty years on, the 'Rumble in the Jungle' remains one of boxing's most famous fights, remembered not just for its result, but for the incredible toughness and skill of both fighters.
