There is little debate about Muhammad Ali being the greatest boxer of all time. But Ali’s legacy goes beyond his deeds in the ring, an aspect that’s been a source of inspiration for our firm to be named such. But this is an obituary about a legend in the ring – George Foreman. And if greatness is underpinned by longevity, Foreman goes one step ahead of Ali.
“’Big’ George Foreman, who has died aged 76, leaves behind a professional legacy that many boxers today could only dream of replicating. He had 81 fights, 76 wins and just five losses.
He was twice the heavyweight champion of the world. He fought Frazier, Ken Norton and Ali. His longevity was such that he even faced a 28-year-old Evander Holyfield.
His legacy was forged in the Rumble in the Jungle, his haunting of Frazier and his impossible achievement aged 45.”
It refers to how he won the world heavyweight titles 21yrs apart, the second time at a ripe age of 45.
“Foreman arrived at the 1968 Olympics aged 19 and with just 25 amateur fights under his belt. He bulldozed the competition, winning gold.
… By 1972, he was 37-0 and the clear contender to the heavyweight champion Frazier.
Frazier had beaten Ali. He was the top dog in the division. Foreman was a 4-1 underdog when they met in Kingston, Jamaica in January 1973.
Foreman knocked Frazier down six times in two rounds to become the WBA, WBC and lineal heavyweight champion.
The win completely altered the heavyweight landscape at the time. Foreman was only 24.”
Then there is this passage about the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’:
“It is hard to explain just how iconic the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ is. If there was a room of statues representing the greatest fights, it would be there in the centre, along with the two seminal bouts between Ali and Frazier.
It was a fight that encapsulated everything boxing was, and still is. The sublime and the downright grime.
It was staged in Zaire on 30 October 1974, funded by the brutal dictatorship in control there at the time.
Ali, a massive underdog, had cast himself as the charismatic good guy and Foreman the brutish villain. It would be staged at 04:00 local time so some 50 million people could tune in across the world.
A suspected 26 million people watched in the UK, out of a population of 56 million.
Foreman was expected to crush Ali. Instead Ali produced a classic performance, soaking up pressure for seven rounds. Debuting his ‘rope-a-dope’ style on the ropes, he slowly drained Foreman of his powers.
In the eighth round, Ali pounced. He dropped Foreman, who was not allowed to beat the count by the referee, thus bringing to a close one of the biggest upsets in world championship boxing.
After his first loss in 41 fights, Foreman took two years out of the ring.
“From pride to pity, that was devastating,” Foreman said of the loss.
Foreman complained the ropes had been loosened, that his trainer had even drugged him. He campaigned for a rematch but never got it. But once Ali called time on his career, he and Foreman became close friends.”
He retired at 28 to become an ordained minister only to comeback years later when his youth centre faced a financial crisis and regain the world heavyweight title. The piece is worth the read especially for the iconic photos of Foreman with Ali and Frazier in the ring and a short video of Foreman reliving the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’.
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Note: The above material is neither investment research, nor financial advice. Marcellus does not seek payment for or business from this publication in any shape or form. The information provided is intended for educational purposes only. Marcellus Investment Managers is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and is also an FME (Non-Retail) with the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) as a provider of Portfolio Management Services. Additionally, Marcellus is also registered with US Securities and Exchange Commission (“US SEC”) as an Investment Advisor.
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