Muhammad Ali would still tease George Foreman about Rumble in the Jungle 40 years on after they became best friends

MUHAMMAD ALI would still tease George Foreman about their Rumble in the Jungle 40 years on - after the once great rivals became inseparable.

Ali famously defeated Foreman in Zaire - now the Democratic Republic of the Congo - in 1974 with over ONE BILLION viewers watching worldwide.

And he did so using his famous rope-a-dope tactic - allowing Foreman to punch himself out before winning in round eight.

The build-up was bitter and the rivalry carried on post-fight to lead to what was an expected rematch.

But after Foreman claimed to have died in his dressing room after losing to Jimmy Young in 1976 - he found God and retired.

It also paved the way for Foreman to form a brotherhood with Ali - up until the boxing great's death in 2016.

Ali's grandson, MMA star Biaggio, told SunSport: "My grandpa and George, they were very, very close. They spoke all the time.

"The only memory I have with George myself was from my grandfather's 70th birthday party.

"We met George there, I was 12 years old and even at 12 years old, I knew who George Foreman was.

"I had seen the fight with him and Poppy and I was like, 'Oh, George Foreman, nice to meet you.'

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"He was such a nice guy, like super humble, down to earth and a very successful businessman at that point too.

"So, really, that's like the only memory I have from George, but I do know that him and my grandfather, they were really close."

Ali retired in 1981 after 61 fights and three heavyweight title reigns - but he was sadly diagnosed with Parkinson's disease three years later.

Although that did not stop the quick-witted sports great from throwing verbal jabs to his rival-turned-friend Foreman.

Biaggio, 26, revealed: "Poppy was a jokester, man. Like he would always joke about certain things.

"It's crazy when I would visit him in Arizona and he'd be sitting on his like reclining chair, I would shake his hand and in my head, I'd be thinking, 'This hand knocked out George Foreman in Africa.'

"Certain things like that I would reminisce in my head and then at the same time I'm like, 'But you're just my grandpa.' It was a very strange feeling my whole life really.

"But yeah, they definitely had some banter, you know, Poppy was a jokester, he's always joking."

Foreman made a comeback in 1987 after ten years out and became the oldest heavyweight champion of all time aged 46.

I would visit him in Arizona and he'd be sitting on his like reclining chair, I would shake his hand and in my head, I'd be thinking, 'This hand knocked out George Foreman in Africa.'

Biaggio Ali Walsh

But the multimillionaire businessman - who made over £150million through his cooking grills - died in March at 76.

Ali meanwhile passed nearly ten years prior but Biaggio - an unbeaten MMA fighter - and professional boxer brother brother Nico - continue the legacy.

Middleweight Nico has 12 wins, two losses and one no contest in his 15 boxing bouts while Biaggio - a former American football prospect - is 2-0 in the cage.

Biaggio - signed to the Professional Fighters League - returns on June 27 in Chicago - but wants to compete all over the world - like his grandfather before him.

He said: "I wanna just fight. So, anywhere it is, that'd be great.

"And I think it's cool too, you get to travel and get to see a lot of new places and stuff. I'd never been to Saudi Arabia before until I fought there.

"That's what's so cool about this job, you get to travel and see new places and destinations, places you never been to.

"All are possibilities, especially with the PFL, man, I love the PFL."