Ali has become stricken, silent icon while George Foreman has turned into an outgoing tycoon
This photo taken on October 30, 1974, shows the fight between Muhammad Ali (left) and George Foreman in Kinshasa. Ali knocked out George Foreman in a clash of titans known as the "Rumble in the Jungle". - AFP
Washington: In a reversal of roles, the outspoken Muhammad Ali won the “Rumble In The Jungle” 40 years ago but has become a stricken, silent icon, while brooding slugger George Foreman has turned into an outgoing tycoon.Parkinson’s disease ended the snappy banter that was Ali’s trademark. The man who once said “when you are as great as I am it is hard to be humble” no longer speaks in public and is rarely seen.
Foreman was an awkward, unloved figure when he lost his title on October 30, 1974. But he has evolved into a slick businessman selling barbecues and grills and speaking out as a champion for the 50-and-over set. It has been a cruel fate for Ali, who had the world title taken away in 1967 for refusing to fight in the Vietnam War.He took his political battle to the US Supreme Court which in 1971 upheld his conscientious objector status, setting the stage for the Foreman showdown.
Ali turned into a global symbol of greatness beyond sport, his fight for civil rights and social justice creating a legacy that saw him light the torch at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Even Foreman — who took 20 years to regain the crown cannot deny the Ali force.“Muhammad Ali has always been bigger than boxing,” Foreman said in an essay on his website.“I say Ali was the greatest man because there has never been a man so young and so good at what he did, give up so much,” he added.
( Source : AFP )
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