George Foreman lost his heavyweight title when he met Muhammad Ali in Africa in 1974.
The ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ is one of the most famous boxing matches of all time. Ali took on Foreman in the Democratic Republic of Congo as two of the greatest heavyweights boxers met.
The bout would finish in round eight, with Ali getting a knockout victory to take Foreman’s WBC World Heavyweight title.
Although the fight was relatively close going into the eight round, ‘Big George’ would be handed his first defeat in his professional career.
Not only did Ali deliver Foreman a knockout blow, but he also whispered words to the champion that would stick with him for decades.
Muhammad Ali whispered question into the ear of George Foreman in title bout
With the ‘Rumble and the Jungle’ being one of Foreman’s most famous bouts, he was asked about the African showdown when he appeared on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross.
“I’m beating this guy [Ali] for five or six rounds, I’m in Africa, it’s hot, beat him up for six rounds,” Foreman said.
The former heavyweight champion would then say that in the seventh round, Ali would whisper something to him following a coming together.
“When I thought I had him, I hit him in the side and he fell on my ear. He said, ‘That all you got George?'”
After Ross described the fight as a “defining” moment in his career, Foreman said that he did not want the bout to have that label.
Foreman would then go on to jokingly change the name of the bout. “The Rumble in the Jungle. I call it, ‘The Mugging in the Jungle’. I had a title when I went over there and I came back without anything… He beat the devil out of me.”
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George Foreman took a 10-year career break after Muhammad Ali fight
After his loss to Ali, Foreman would fight five more times until 1977, before leaving the sport of boxing for 10 years.
Following a loss to Jimmy Young in 1977, Foreman did not return to boxing for a decade and became a minister instead.
However, in 1987, Foreman would make a remarkable return to the ring, earning a fourth round knockout over Steve Zouski. Not only would the return to the ring by Foreman be remarkable, but he would also create history in his second boxing stint.
Foreman made history at 45 years old as he became the oldest heavyweight world champion, defeating Michael Moorer.