5 best Muhammad Ali fights of all-time

2. Ali vs. Foreman – October 30, 1974

What defined Ali as much as his in-ring ability was his unforgettable quotes. He is the best trash talker in combat sports history, and many of his lines have been immortalized. His trademark quote “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” was first used prior to his fight with Foreman, as was one of his most famous insults: “I’ve seen George Foreman shadow boxing, and the shadow won.”

While Ali just came off a victory in his second fight with Frazier, Foreman demolished Smokin’ Joe by knocking him down six times. Additionally, Foreman was 25 years old while Ali was 32. That he would talk so much trash to one of the most feared heavyweights in the world was a fool’s errand, but it showed the confidence that he had in his abilities, which is something that never went away.

The contest is called the Rumble in the Jungle since it took place in Zaire, now Congo, and had to be fought at 4 am local time so that Americans would be able to watch it at 10 pm. It was a classic matchup of speed vs. power, and it was from this fight that the technique of rope-a-dope was invented.

That term was used since Ali spent practically the entire fight against the ropes, and absorbing Foreman’s punches while landing combinations of his own. He kept taunting Foreman in the ring, stating “They told me you could punch, George!” which led to Foreman spending even more of his energy. By the eighth round, Ali could smell a victory, and he landed the knockout before the end of the round.

After Ali died, Foreman stated that “a part of me just passed with him.” He called Ali the toughest man he ever stepped in the ring with and said that “George Foreman, Muhammad Ali, and Joe Frazier were just one guy” although Foreman is the only one of those three left.

Foreman really was, and remains, one of the best heavyweights of all time, and an extremely feared boxer. But Muhammad Ali stole his soul on that night in a contest that no boxing fan will ever forget.

Next: 1. Thrilla in Manila