The greatest upset in boxing history — and the rope-a-dope that changed everything.
George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali, billed as The Rumble in the Jungle, was a heavyweight championship boxing match on October 30, 1974, at the 20th of May Stadium (now the Stade Tata Raphaël) in Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo), between undefeated and undisputed heavyweight champion George Foreman and Muhammad Ali. The event had an attendance of 60,000 people and was one of the most watched televised events at the time. Ali won by knockout in the eighth round.
Cinematography
Kinshasa crowds and steamy ring atmosphere feel electric.
Editing
Builds from carnival to claustrophobic rope-a-dope tension.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The fight was delayed six weeks because Foreman cut his eye sparring, giving Ali precious time to win over Zaire crowds who initially favored Foreman.
Don King orchestrated this as part of Zaire 74, a music festival featuring James Brown and B.B. King — making it arguably the most ambitious cultural event ever built around a boxing match.
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