The boxing biopic Big George Foreman depicts the legendary “Rumble in the Jungle” match between Foreman and fellow icon Muhammad Ali — and many wonder if George Foreman beat Ali in real life. The 2023 film covers Foreman’s (Khris Davis) entire life story, from his impoverished childhood to the near-death experience that inspired him to hang up the boxing gloves to the impending bankruptcy that forced him to get back in the ring and become the oldest-ever heavyweight champion.
The “Rumble in the Jungle” scene in Big George Foreman portrays Ali (Sullivan Jones) as the confident young athlete talking trash in Foreman’s ear during each round. While this angle captures the George Foreman vs Ali dynamic at that time — Foreman as the defending champion and Ali as the new blood rising through the ranks to steal his glory — it doesn’t present Ali in a flattering light. Foreman was expected to win the “Rumble in the Jungle,” since he’d beaten Joe Frazier, but the outcome ensured the bout became one of the most infamous in boxing history.
Muhammad Ali Beat George Foreman In The Rumble In The Jungle
The Match Was A Highlight Of Both Boxer’s Careers
Foreman and Ali fought each other on October 30, 1974, at the 20th of May Stadium (now known as the Stade Tata Raphaël) in Kinshasa, Zaire (now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo). Foreman was the undefeated and undisputed heavyweight champion and Ali was a promising up-and-comer. The odds were in Foreman’s favor to win. It was during this fight that Ali introduced his signature rope-a-dope tactic and used it to defeat Foreman. Ali won by knockout in the eighth round.
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Big George Foreman’s 7 Biggest Changes From The Real Boxer’s Notable Career
The sports biopic Big George Foreman is remarkably accurate to the real athlete’s boxing career, but the movie still makes some notable changes.
The “Rumble in the Jungle” is one of the most iconic boxing matches of all time and is often referred to as the most significant sporting event of the 20th century. It was attended by 60,000 live spectators. Millions of viewers around the world made it one of the most-watched events in TV history. All in all, the fight raked in around $100 million in revenue (according to the book New Times, Volume 3) and became the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary film When We Were Kings.
Why George Foreman & Muhammad Ali Never Had A Rematch After The Rumble In The Jungle
Despite Demand, There Was No Rumble In The Jungle Rematch
After the success of the “Rumble in the Jungle” fight (depicted in Big George Foreman), a George Foreman vs Ali rematch seemed inevitable. Fans were clamoring for it, Foreman was open to it, and Ali had fought high-profile rematches with such fighters as Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson, and Joe Frazier. But Foreman and Ali never shared the ring again.
George Foreman and Muhammad Ali became friends in later life, with Foreman even helping Ali up the stairs to receive his 1996 Oscar for documentary When We Were Kings. At this point in his life Ali was suffering from the impact of Parkinson’s syndrome, and now-lifelong friend Foreman ensured the legendary athlete could maintain his dignity.
Ali called Foreman and told him he would only agree to a rematch if he rehired Dick Sadler, the trainer who cost him the fight in Zaire in the first place, and Foreman refused. Ali hung up the phone, but the rematch never happened (via RingTV).
How George Foreman & Muhammad Ali’s Careers Went Afterward
After The Rumble in the Jungle, Muhammad Ali continued his run as one of the best fighters in the sport’s history. The next year, Ali had another major landmark fight called the Thrilla in Manila, where he fought Joe Frazier for the third time. Ali won that fight by TKO, but it was one of the hardest fights of his entire career. He was the undisputed champion from 1974 to 1978. Ali was 44-2 when he fought Foreman and finally retired in 1981 with a record of 56-5.
|
Fighter |
Fights |
Wins |
Knockouts |
Losses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Muhammad Ali |
61 |
56 |
37 |
5 |
|
George Foreman |
81 |
76 |
68 |
5 |
As for George Foreman, he didn’t return to the ring for a year when he fought an exhibition match. In 1976, he finally started his professional comeback, and he also fought Joe Frazier one year after Ali fought him. At this time in his career, Frazier had only lost to Ali (twice) and Foreman (once). Much like Ali the year before, Foreman beat Frazier again with two knockdowns in the fifth. He retired in 1977 but made a comeback 10 years later. George Foreman finished his career with a 76-5 record, his last fight coming when he was 48.
The Rumble In The Jungle Has Been Adapted A Few Times
There Were Two Muhammad Ali Biopics Already Made
Big George Foreman wasn’t the first time that The Rumble in the Jungle was portrayed in a movie. It was first shown in the 1977 Muhammad Ali biopic The Greatest, where Ali played himself, which showed the fight in the movie’s climax. In 2001, a second Ali biopic was made (starring Will Smith) that featured the Rumble in the Jungle, also in its climax. Charles Hufford played Foreman in that movie. After two Ali movies with the fight featured, it took 50 years for George Foreman to finally get the fight shown in his biopic.
There was also a 1997 HBO movie about promoter Don King called Don King: Only in America. This movie showed the buildup to the fight and what King had to do to set it up. Darius McCrary played Muhammad Ali, and Jarrod Bunch played George Foreman. Finally, a 1996 documentary called When We Were Kings showed the events before and during the fight. When We Were Kings won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature.
Big George Foreman is a biographical film that chronicles the remarkable life of the former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman. Directed by George Tillman Jr., the film explores Foreman’s journey from a poverty-stricken youth to his triumph in the boxing world, and his unexpected comeback after a decade-long retirement. Starring Khris Davis as Foreman, the film delves into his personal struggles, professional victories, and spiritual transformation.
- Director
-
George Tillman Jr.
- Release Date
-
April 28, 2023
- Writers
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George Tillman Jr.
, Frank Baldwin
, Dan Gordon - Cast
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Sonja Sohn
, Forest Whitaker
, John Magaro
, Sam Trammell
, Matthew Glave
, Lawrence Gilliard Jr.
