![]() ![]() ![]() In a strategy which he later entitled ‘Rope-A-Dope’ – and which came as a surprise to everyone including his fabled trainer Angelo Dundee - Ali spent much of his time lolling against the ropes, inviting Foreman to punch himself out.īig George duly obliged by throwing hundreds of blows in the first seven rounds. The fight developed into a tactical triumph for Ali, albeit a self-punishing one which may have contributed to the subsequent onset of Parkinson’s which afflicts him now.Īli spent much of his time against the ropes, inviting Foreman to punch himself out before landing his blow The irritating effect on Foreman was prolonged after he suffered an eye-cut in sparring, the date of the fight was put back more than a month and King, fearful of cancellation, insisted they stayed in Zaire instead of taking a break back in America.Īli also charmed the local population, who happily took to the streets throughout those weeks chanting ‘Ali, boma-ye’ – ‘Ali, kill him.’ ![]() March 8, 1971, Madison Square Garden, New YorkĪs the 25-year-old world heavyweight champion with enormous punching power Foreman was odds-on favourite to crush the brilliance of the man they called The Greatest but who, at 32 and diminished by his three-and-a-half-year banishment from the ring for refusing to go to war in Vietnam, was perceived as a fading force.Īli went to work on Foreman’s psyche from the moment the circus arrived in Kinshasa, turning up at his training session to mock Big George for his size and make fun of his intellect. ![]()
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