50 Years Later: the Rumble in the Jungle and Zaire 74
An aerial view of the Stade du 20 mai in Kinshasa, where the fight took place.
Image courtesy of the Associated Press.
Pre-Fight Complications: Creating Legend
The day before the fight was miserably humid in Kinshasa. During the evening, Muhammad Ali watched a horror film called Baron of Blood before going to sleep for a mere few hours. Meanwhile, Ali’s trainer Angelo Dundee checked the ring to ensure it was installed correctly. While most venues had experience constructing boxing rings, the stadium crew in Zaire did not and made several glaring mistakes. According to members of Ali's entourage, one corner of the ring was sinking into mud, so they had to add concrete slabs under it.
Additionally, the stadium crew did not listen to Dundee’s advice and placed the ring’s foam-safety padding, Ensiform, down too early. This meant the floor padding had become soft and slightly melted by the time of the fight. The faulty flooring was particularly detrimental to Ali who would rely on his agility to beat Foreman.
The ring ropes were the most significant source of controversy. Due to high humidity and premature setup, the ring ropes began to sag when Dundee and Bobby Goodman checked them. Despite their efforts to tighten the ropes, the turnbuckles had been cinched to their limit, leaving little room for adjustment. During the fight the following day, the ropes became a focal concern for entourages, fans, and commentators. This led to widespread controversy, with some even accusing Dundee of intentionally sabotaging the ropes to favor Ali.
After receiving minimal sleep, Ali woke up at around 2 A.M. before being transported from the presidential compound to the Stade du 20 Mai with his entourage. Looking at the sky, there were clear indicators that it may rain, leading people to speculate if the fight would have to be canceled since it was an outdoor stadium.
After arriving at the stadium anticipating the early 4 A.M. start time, Ali and his entourage headed to the dressing room to prepare. During this time, Ali told entourage member Bobby Goodman that he would "go out and hit Foreman with a straight right hand as soon as the bell rang." This plan terrified everyone since it veered from the approach Dundee wanted Ali to use: dancing around Foreman.
