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1974 Muhamad Ali vs George Foreman Rumble In The Jungle Closed Circuit Poster
The fight was known as "The Rumble in the Jungle," and the October, 1974, bout between challenger Muhammad Ali and World Heavyweight Champion George Foreman was called by some as "The greatest sporting event of the 20th Century." Ali was already on the comeback trail after missing three and a half years of boxing because of his ban from the sport after refusing the United States military draft. The lead promoter, Don King, set the fight at the 20th of May Stadium in Kinshasa, Zaire (Zaire is now known as The Democratic Republic of the Congo). Foreman was the undisputed World Heavyweight Champion, and he was undefeated. Ali was a 4-1 underdog. A crowd of 60,000 watched live, and the worldwide viewing audience was estimated at one billion - the world's most watched live broadcast at the time. Ali's forte was his speed, while Foreman's best quality was his strength. Ali's initial tactic in the fight was to keep moving and dance away from the pursuing Foreman. But Foreman had been instructed to cut off the ring against Ali and limit Ali's mobility. So, Ali and his trainer, Angelo Dundee, decided to have Ali employ a new strategy they had developed - a technique Ali later called "rope-a-dope." This tactic involved Ali leaning back against the ropes and covering up as Foreman punched away, with most of Foreman's punches being blocked by Ali or landing harmlessly against the former champion. The strategy worked for Ali, and in the eighth round, Ali hit Foreman with a 5-punch combination, with the fifth blow being a left hook that exposed Foreman's head. Then Ali used a straight right to send Foreman to the canvas. Foreman got to one knee, but referee Zack Clayton counted him out, giving Ali the win. The offered poster measures approx. 14x20", attached to posterboard backing measuring 16.5x21.25". The top of the poster reads "HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD/A closed Circuit TV Presentation of Joe Hand Promotions, Inc....GEORGE FOREMAN vs MUHAMMAD ALI.... Philadelphia, PA...." The middle of the poster shows images of Foreman and Ali, and the bottom of the poster reads, "Oct. 29 10 P.M. (The Oct. 29 date on the poster is written on a piece of tape that was placed over the original date on the poster of Sept. 24. Dates in the poster were the dates in the United States as the corresponding dates in Zaire, because of time differences, were a day later. The date first printed on the poster was changed because eight days before the original date of the fight, Foreman was accidentally hit above the right eye and the resulting cut required 11 stitches and a five-week postponement of the fight.)/Spectrum/Tickets On Sale At All Leading Ticket Agencies." The poster shows some darkening because of the passage of time and two other places on the bottom of the poster show tape was placed there. In addition, there is a small "l" shaped bit of tape in the lower left. Aside from the aforementioned details, the poster is in excellent condition, with the handwritten date change, in black marker, adding to the poster's intrigue. The documentary movie involving this fight, When There Were Kings, was an Academy Award Winner, and the 50th anniversary of the fight will be in 2024, and this "Golden Anniversary" should spark interest in the famous Rumble in the Jungle.
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