Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman: 50 Years Since the 'Fight of the Century' and a Knockout That Still Resonates in a Country That No Longer Exists

Fifty years ago, in the early hours of the morning, under sweltering heat and tropical humidity, two boxing giants, Americans Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, fought a bout that captivated the globe. For many, it remains "The Fight of the Century".

The event took place on October 30, 1974, in a blue ring with red and white ropes set up in the center of the 20th of May Stadium (now renamed the Tata Raphaël Stadium) in Kinshasa, the capital of what was then Zaire, a country that became the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 1997 following the fall of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, one of Africa's worst kleptocrats.

In one corner of the ring was Ali, known as "The Greatest," who at 32 years old was seeking to reclaim the heavyweight throne after being stripped of his world title in 1967 for refusing to enlist in the Army to fight in the Vietnam War.

In the opposite corner stood a young and exuberant Foreman, who became world champion at just 25 years old and arrived at this global showdown, dubbed "The Rumble in the Jungle," undefeated in forty fights.

On the line was five million dollars per head promised by promoter Don King, who didn’t have the funds to stage the fight. His "savior" was Mobutu, who agreed to host this titanic clash to launder his tyrannical regime’s image to the world.

Foreman was the betting favorite, but Ali was the idol of the Congolese people, who saw him as a champion of black rights; conversely, his opponent was perceived as a black man who had sold out to whites.

Before a throng of 60,000 enthusiastic spectators, the two boxers exchanged blows until the eighth round. It was then that an unstoppable right hand from Ali floored Foreman, sending his supporters into raptures.

“Muhammad Ali was the first to step into the ring to the cheers of the crowd (...), amid the chants of the Zairian people at the time, who shouted ‘Ali bomaye!’ (‘Ali, kill him!’ in Lingala),” recalls Abdel Azize, head of security at the Tata Raphaël Stadium and a witness to the fight from the stands when he was just 10 years old.

He still hears the roar of “a maddened crowd” and Ali's words: “I remember him saying, ‘I have returned to the land of my ancestors, victory is mine,’” Azize recalls, adding that both fighters stayed and trained in N’sele, the former palace of Mobutu on the outskirts of Kinshasa.

The fight is etched in the memory of 70-year-old former UN official François Emenge, who said: “I was lucky to have a ticket that my dad gifted me. I remember there was a huge argument at home between mom and dad over the outrageous ticket price,” he told EFE, specifying that the bout took place “around 4 AM,” a prime time for the entire planet to tune in.

“The whole stadium rallied behind Ali and in the end, he won. Fortunately, he won. Otherwise, the city would have faced a catastrophe,” the former official added.

This evening, the stadium, which is hosting a boxing event in memory of the legendary fight, showcases stands decorated in blue, yellow, and red, and while football is now the king sport, its managers dream of one day hosting a second “Rumble in the Jungle.”

“It is an honor for us to manage this legendary stadium that hosted the greatest fight of the century. Fifty years later, it reminds us all that at one time the DRC hosted these strong men of boxing. We hope this memory never fades from the minds of the Congolese,” states Lady Bwira Iyungu, the stadium's head administrator.

“Our desire is for such a fight to happen here again because we have the infrastructure that meets international standards,” adds Iyungu, whose country recently hosted the African Boxing Championship at the Martyrs' Stadium in Kinshasa, the largest in the DRC.

Half a century later, the Ali vs. Foreman fight continues to inspire new generations of Congolese boxers.

“We are a historic country for boxing. It is a source of pride for us (...). We are respected and honored in international competitions,” asserts Makangila Vela, an African champion in the super lightweight category, in an interview with EFE.

The anniversary hasn’t gone unnoticed by the Congolese government, which plans to “pay vibrant tributes to the 50th anniversary of the fight” which “held the whole world in suspense,” confirmed Alain Makendo, advisor to the Congolese Minister of Sports in charge of wrestling sports.

“The Congolese government wants to honor these icons of world boxing at all costs. Several organizations are preparing this celebration,” says Makendo, pointing to next December as a tentative date for the tribute.

The celebrations also have a cultural dimension for the association Bana Matonge, located in the lively musical district of Matongue in Kinshasa, which plans to organize a photographic exhibition about Ali and Foreman's visit to the neighborhood and present a book about the fight.

However, the head of security at the Tata Raphaël Stadium expresses that there is a lack of a monument in the capital to immortalize Ali's feat. “We organized the great fight that has yet to be equaled, but unfortunately, due to negligence or forgetfulness, there is no monument or hall named after Muhammad Ali,” lamented Azize, who believes that the fight, nevertheless, “will be etched in the memory of people for generations to come.”