50 years since epic Rumble in the Jungle
Fifty years have passed since boxing had one of its most memorable moments when Muhammad Ali knocked out George Foreman in the eighth round of a 15-round bout in Kinshasa, Zaire to regain his heavyweight title on Oct. 30, 1974.
The fight became known as the “Rumble in the Jungle.”
We delved into the photo archives for a look back at one of the most epic showdowns in boxing history.
This photo diagram comparing boxers Muhammad Ali and George Foreman was made available for use as desired with stories on the Tuesday's heavyweight championship fight in Zaire, October 1974. (AP Photo)
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali boxes before a mirror at his training camp on Wednesday, July 18, 1974 at Deer Lake Pa., on his first day of training for his title fight on September 24 in Zaire, Africa against George Foreman, world heavyweight champion. At left is picture of Ali. (AP Photo/Paul Vathis)
Transiting at Orly en route for Kinshasa, Zaire, heavyweight U.S. boxer Muhammad Ali had lunch in a restaurant of the air terminal and had a mockfight with the cooks in Paris on Sept. 10, 1974. (AP Photo/Michel Lipchitz)
In this Sept. 10, 1974 photo, a Zairian man in traditional clothing carries a spear as he leads Muhammad Ali through a crowd at the airport in Kinshasa, Zaire. Ali arrived in a chartered Air Zaire plane from Paris for a world championship fight with George Foreman. (AP Photo/Horst Faas)
A tired Muhammad Ali talks to newsmen, Sept. 11, 1974, after his first workout in N’Sele, Zaire for his title bout against George Foreman. (AP Photo/Horst Faas)
In this Thursday, Sept. 12, 1974 photo, Muhammad Ali, who is due to fight World Champion George Foreman, tells a crowd of boxing fans in N' Sele, Zaire, "Ako bo mai ye," which translates from Zaire's Lingalla dialect as: "I will kill him." Ali's trainer Angelo Dundee is at left. (AP Photo/Horst Faas)
George Foreman
George Foreman, the world’s heavyweight champion, skips rope at his training camp in Pleasanton, Calif. on Aug. 8, 1974, getting in shape for his September 24 fight in Africa. Foreman will be defending his heavyweight title against Muhammad Ali. (AP Photo/Robert H. Houston)
George Foreman, right, with manager Archie Moore and his dog, a German shepherd named Dago, at Orly in Paris, Sept. 11, 1974 after the press conference on his way to Kinshasa, Zaire. (AP Photo/Jean-Jacques Levy)
Heavyweight champion George Foreman carries two unidentified girls as he arrives at Kinshasa, Zaire Airport, Sept. 12, 1974, where the fight for the championship against Muhammad Ali will take place in October. Boxing promoter Don King is seen in background in green shirt. (AP Photo)
Heavyweight boxing champ George Foreman trains at N'sele Gym near Kinshasa, Zaire, Sept. 1974, where he will fight challenger Muhammad Ali. (AP Photo)
George Foreman, covering a bleeding gash over his right eye with a towel leaves the ring for his dressing room at the N' Sele gym near Kinshasa on Sept. 16, 1974. The fight against challenger Muhammad Ali had to be rescheduled to October 30 after Foreman needed to recover from an eye injury. (AP Photo/Horst Faas)
Boxer Muhammad Ali on a sightseeing tour downtown Kinshasa, Zaire Sept. 17, 1974. Ali was scheduled to meet opponent George Foreman on Sept. 24, but the fight had to be delayed until October 30 because a Foreman injury. (AP Photo)
George Foreman, world heavyweight champion, stands in the ring at his training camp in N’Sele, Zaire, on Monday, Sept. 30, 1974 as he resumed workouts two weeks after he suffered the cut over his right eye that delayed his fight with Muhammad Ali. (AP Photo/Horst Faas)
Heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali training at N'Sele Gym in Zaire on Oct. 23, 1974 ,for the October 29 fight against George Foreman. (AP Photo/Horst Faas )
Heavyweight boxer George Foreman relaxes with a game of table tennis in Zaire prior to his world heavyweight championship fight with Muhammad Ali, Oct. 1974. (AP Photo)
Muhammad Ali and an official read scales during weigh in on Saturday, Oct. 26, 1974 at stadium in Kinshasa, Zaire for his fight against heavyweight champion George Foreman in Kinshasa on Oct. 30. At left is Don King, one of the promoters of the fight. Directly behind scales is Angelo Dundee, Ali’s trainer. Other is Drew Bundini, also a trainer. (AP Photo)
Heavyweight champion George Foreman responds to cheers of the crowd in a stadium in Kinshasa, Zaire, Saturday, Oct. 26, 1974, during weigh in for his title defense against Muhammad Ali. Foreman's manager Dick Sadler, with hat at left, talks with Don King, partially shown. At right, in white hat is Archie Moore, former light heavyweight champion, who is Foreman's trainer. (AP Photo)
The opening ceremony of the national anthem is shown at Kinshasa Stadium, in Zaire, Africa, Oct. 30, 1974, prior to the world heavyweight championship bout between George Foreman and challenger Muhammad Ali. George Foreman is alongside the ropes in a red robe. Ali is fourth from the right, partially obscured. (AP Photo)
Challenger Muhammad Ali is hit with a left jab by defending world champion George Foreman during the WBA/WBC championship bout in Kinshasa, Zaire, on Oct. 30, 1974. Ali regained the heavyweight crown by knocking out Foreman in the eighth round of their fight dubbed 'Rumble in the Jungle.' The referee is Zack Clayton. (AP Photo)
Hanging deep in the ropes, challenger Muhammad Ali is hit with a left jab to the head by defending world champion George Foreman during the WBA/WBC championship bout in Kinshasa, Zaire, on Oct. 30, 1974. Ali regained the heavyweight crown by knocking out Foreman in the eighth round of their fight dubbed 'Rumble in the Jungle.' The referee is Zack Clayton. (AP Photo)
Challenger Muhammad Ali winces as he is hit with a powerful left jab to the body by defending world champion George Foreman in their WBA/WBC championship bout in Kinshasa, Zaire, on Oct. 30, 1974. Ali regained the heavyweight crown by knocking out Foreman in the eighth round of the fight dubbed 'Rumble in the Jungle.' (AP Photo)
Boxer Muhammad Ali winces as he takes a George Foreman left to the jaw in the fifth round of their heavyweight championship bout in Kinshasa, Zaire, Oct. 30, 1974. Referee Zack Clayton watches. Ali knocked out Foreman in the eighth round to regain the title. (AP Photo/Ed Kolenovsky)
Defending world heavyweight champion George Foreman, left, watches a right from challenger Muhammad Ali that ended their title bout in the eighth round at Kinshasa, Zaire, Oct. 30, 1974. Foreman fell to the canvas and was counted out by referee Zack Clayton, right, in the match dubbed Rumble in the Jungle. (AP Photo/Ed Kolenovsky)
Challenger Muhammad Ali watches as defending world champion George Foreman goes down to the canvas in the eighth round of their WBA/WBC championship match in Kinshasa, Zaire, on Oct. 30, 1974. Foreman is counted out by the referee and Ali regains the world heavyweight crown by KO in the bout dubbed 'Rumble in the Jungle.' (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Challenger Muhammad Ali watches as defending world champion George Foreman struggles to keep his balance during the WBA/WBC championship bout in Kinshasa, Zaire, on Oct. 30, 1974. The referee is Zack Clayton. (AP Photo)
Challenger Muhammad Ali looks down at George Foreman during their bout in Kinshasa, Zaire, Oct. 30, 1974. The referee is Zack Clayton. (AP Photo)
Referee Zack Clayton counts out George Foreman in eight round of this title bout with Muhammad Ali, in Kinshasa, Zaire. Oct. 30, 1974. (AP Photo/jab)
Challenger Muhammad Ali raises his arms in victory after defending champion George Foreman is counted out by referee Zack Clayton, ending the WBA/WBC championship bout in Kinshasa, Zaire, on October 30, 1974. Ali regained the crown as the undisputed heavyweight world champion by KO in the eighth round of their fight dubbed 'Rumble in the Jungle.' (AP Photo)
George Foreman walks away in defeat while challenger Muhammad Ali, partially covered, is celebrating his victory in the WBA/WBC championship bout in Kinshasa, Zaire, on Oct. 30, 1974. Ali regained the crown as the undisputed heavyweight world champion by KO in the eighth round of their fight dubbed 'Rumble in the Jungle.' The referee is Zack Clayton. (AP Photo)
Text and photo curation by photo editor Kathleen Elliott.
AP Photo archive on Instagram