Republican presidential candidate John McCain made reference to the word “fight” 25 times during his September 4 nomination acceptance speech. While watching McCain’s histrionics, my mind wandered back to another historic fight—the “Rumble in the Jungle.” Muhammad Ali, arguably the best boxer who ever stepped into the squared circle, was pitted against then-World Champion George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire, 34 years ago this month. It occurred to me that there are interesting parallels linking that famous brawl and the daily tussles of the presidential contenders.
The consensus among handicappers was that younger and undefeated Foreman packed the harder punch and entered the ring a heavy favorite. Foreman, the 1968 Olympic heavyweight gold medal winner, was the world’s top-ranked boxer after knocking out both Joe Frazier and Ken Norton in two rounds in his two previous bouts. Ali, an inch taller and four pounds lighter, was unorthodox is his footwork but was thought to be a much better technical fighter, with cat-like reflexes and a two-inch-longer reach.
Deadly deception
Ali took control of the pace of the fight from the bell starting the second round. Ali either leaned into his opponent, neutralizing Foreman from throwing a big right hand, or was covered up and resting against the ropes. By round five, Foreman was exhausted from throwing ineffective punches and from Ali’s lightning-quick jabs to his head and personal taunts like, “George, is that all you’ve got?” Foreman was completely flummoxed by an opponent who was unwilling to stand toe-to-toe and be pounded into submission.
By round eight Foreman’s punches had lost much of their effectiveness, and all his hope rested with a lucky knockout blow that never found its target. An outwardly fresh and smiling Ali then left the safety of the ropes and started a vicious counter-attack with jabs and hooks, most landing squarely on Foreman’s head. Sensing victory, Ali hit Foreman with a left hook that teed up his head for a straight right hand that instantly turned out his lights. “The Greatest” regained the World Championship, and Foreman, frustrated, retired from boxing at age 28 to become a minister, siring five boys all named George, and making millions selling his Lean Green Grilling Machine on TV.
Most boxing experts consider the Rumble in the Jungle the best example of an older fighter using guile and a superior strategy to literally beat a younger and stronger fighter at his own game. Foreman later called the fight “a sweaty old boxing match which I lost,” but it was the start of much more than that.
Email
Comments
Print
Reuse
