The whole world has heard the sad news early this morning. Muhammad Ali was a great champion and a true legend who stood by his words. He paid the price for it but maybe that is why is also respected so much. He fought all his life and perhaps his hardest fights were off the ring, against the government for his decision not to go to Vietnam to fight and also for his faith. He received much criticism for his conversion to Islam. But the greatest fight must have been the one against Parkinson. He fought long and well. Muhammad Ali will remain has a piece of Congolese heritage. May he rest in peace.
Rumble in the Jungle, Kinshasa, Zaïre, 1974, full fight
Foreman’s Interview about the fight
George Foreman at the time wasn’t really liked by the Congolese people because he didn’t know of the history. If he did, he would have made sure not to bring his german sheppard. Those dogs were used by the Belgian police during the colonization and they were not used only to intimidate if you know what I mean. This faux-pas ruined his image.
The documentary Soul Power covers the music festival that was organized in parallel of the fight. Because Foreman hurt himself, they had to postpone the fight by one month. The story says Mobutu confiscated the passports and forced the people to stay in Zaïre to make sure the fight would actually take place. He, of course, used this historical event to further his political plans.
Anyima wenda ikisha mu bupole.
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