Why Zaire?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$............and more.............$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

Mobutu had 100 random prisoners executed before the event, just to serve as a warning to everyone else

 

So that these fine ebony giants Foreman and Ali could step foot in the motherland and absorb all the wonderful positive energy of the ancestral homeland.

 

Still talking Klingon,I see,Frankie !


Glad you're still around.

 

Dollars make sense and Lamumba Mubutu was willing to put up $$

 

So, Technically, Ali was a hypocrite to some extent.

 

Ali was a genius

 

A Genius who felt up other people's women.

 

It was the place that made the most financial sense.

Nothing more complicated than that.

 

IMO Ali is the greatest HW of all time (never saw him summer 67 to summer of 70) but the Foreman fight should have been in the Astrodome. George deserved that one....but, Ali pulled the strings and now we're in Africa where Ali is King and George becomes a brain-fried 'uncle Tom' in many eyes, not to mention the other contriversies surrounding the bout. No hint of a rematch, none! With all due respect to the 'greatest' his comeback career was (for the most part) a snake-oil scam, lazy training, kiss-ass decisions exibition. I say this only after 40 years of thought. My weak $0.02

 

-1 Mobutu fronted the money that king never had
-they paid the most of any country to bring the event
-After Zaire, Iran, Brazil, Iraq and Indonesia where considered, really they'd go wherever paid the most money.
-I don't see how it is a disgrace, Mobutu was a dictator but he was America's dictator installed by the cia to uphold american interest in zaire and keep the uranium flowing. Probably created income for the locals that wold not otherwise exist.
-I don't think it was propaganda or strategy, it was money.

 

Its amazing to me that after nearly 40 years so much crap is still believed about this fight.

Lets clear it up....

Ali knocked Foreman out for a 10 count. The fight was not stopped and the count was not long. The announcer at ringside counted several counts behind the actual count so it looked as if Foreman rose at 8 and the ref stopped it. In fact the count of 10 was tolled. The count was checked several times for accuracy several weeks later on wide world of sports. Foreman was indeed down for 10 seconds.

The ring was 19 feet but the ropes were for a 20 foot ring.....this is why the ropes were loose.

Ali had no idea going into the fight that he would use the ropes as a strategy. He found in round one that he could not move ....George was cutting the ring superbly and the thickly padded ring was tiring his legs quickly. Add to this Foreman was coming on like a freight train at the end of round one hitting him hard to the body and head. Between rounds one and two he decided to change his plan and the ropeadope was born.

Ali was seriously hurt several times during this fight. Its a huge testament to his toughness that he was able to not only get through the Foreman onslaught but also come on to score a KO. Ali was the only opponent that ever put George down for a 10 count.

Regarding Alis second title reign he proved during that reign that he was an all time great. His KO wins coming back to beat both Foreman and Frazier in epic battles showed the boxing world that he was not just a great boxer but also possessed all time great will to win, chin, toughness. Prior to his second reign most thought of Ali as a fringe top 10 all timer.

 

I agree with all of this except the rope part. Angeloo Dundee was a cheater and a crook and loosened the ropes just like he ripped Ali's glove in the cooper fight. Do I believe Ali would lose to either, nope, because foreman went on to lose to jimmy young and almost get knockedout by him in 12 so its not like he'd ever beat ali in 100 years in a 15 rounder and neither was cooper, but I have never seen looser ropes in my life.

That explanation doesn't even make sense, a rope 1 foot too long would be stretched out over 4 sides, 3 inches at most. Ali was getting more than 1 foot of movement in those ropes he was practically outside the ring at times, I have never seen anything close to that. It is ridiculous maybe it was an extra 3 or 4 feet long

 

The looseness of the ropes had nothing to do with Ali winning the fight. Result would have been exactly the same. Since Ali had no idea he would use the ropes neither did Dundee. Ropes were for a 20 foot ring and this was a 19 foot ring. Ali beating a prime Foreman really is one of the great accomplishments in his career. Foreman was young, physically stronger and determined to ko Ali that night and Ali found a strategy to win. Foreman was a true force of nature in the ring....not many would have survived the first 3 rounds but Ali did and came on to score a ko.