The boxing world lost its mind when promoter Don King managed to convince the president of Zaire to bankroll the most expensive prizefight in history. It was "The Rumble in the Jungle," and two heavyweight titans were going to slug it out in the heart of Africa, with a $10 million purse that made every other boxing promotion look like rec center fun. Which two legends stepped into the Kinshasa ring in 1974 for this legendary showdown?
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Correct Answer: Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman
(Source)Everyone figured Muhammad Ali was about to get absolutely demolished by the terrifying George Foreman, who had been knocking out opponents like he was chopping down trees. Foreman was 25, undefeated, and had just destroyed two guys that had given Ali some serious problems in the past. Meanwhile, Ali was 32 and still recovering from a three-year forced retirement. Vegas oddsmakers made Foreman a heavy favorite, and even Ali's own team privately worried their guy was walking into a nightmare. But Ali had other plans, spending eight rounds letting the younger, stronger Foreman punch himself into exhaustion against the ropes before exploding with a combination that sent the "invincible" champion crashing to the canvas. The rope-a-dope strategy was born, Ali reclaimed his heavyweight title, and boxing got one of its greatest upsets.
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