George Foreman, one of the greatest heavyweight boxers, admits there was one fight he knew he couldn't win despite calling for it - a rematch with Muhammad Ali.
Foreman's boxing career started in 1969 and lasted for 30 years. He won an Olympic Gold Medal at the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City and became the world heavyweight champion twice. In January 1973, he knocked out Joe Frazier in Jamaica, cementing his status as a formidable fighter.
The legendary bout between Foreman and Ali, known as the 'Rumble In The Jungle', took place in 1974 in Kinshasa, Zaire. Ali stopped Foreman in the eighth round, using his infamous 'rope-a-dope' style to outlast and outmaneuver his opponent.
After the fight, Foreman claimed he wanted a rematch. In a YouTube interview, he said:
"He called me once and we talked on the phone about doing a match. I'll do the match but you've got to hire Dick Sadler. I said I'll never work with Sadler again. He didn't want to fight me. He brought up Dick so he had a good reason not to fight me."
However, Foreman has recently changed his tune. On social media, he admitted:
"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."
Ali's career came to an end after his defeat to Trevor Berbick in 1981. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 74, after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease.
Foreman's admission shows the deep respect he had for Ali's skills and adaptability in the ring. It also highlights the complex relationships and strategies that often play out behind the scenes in professional boxing.
