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Africa’s Heat
Kinshasa, Zaire was the setting for this historic fight. Both fighters trained in Africa for months during the summer to acclimate to the heat. But the oven-like temperatures took its toll on both men. The fight took place outside at night, the jungle heat taxing the stamina of each athlete. The weather was an extra opponent, one neither fighter knew well.
Ali’s Heart
Few fighters could have withstood Africa’s heat, the public’s pressure, and the intense and brutal pounding that Foreman dished out. It was seven years and several humbling defeats since Ali had held the title. An underdog, some thought this would be his last fight if he lost. Ali’s winning personality made him a local favorite in Africa before the fight began. His courage and ability to stand up to Foreman’s relentless pounding in the punishing heat cemented him as a boxing legend.
Ali’s Strategy
Ali claimed to have a “secret plan” for victory. Known for his footwork and dancing away, Ali instead began by attacking his opponent, then laid against the ropes and let Foreman pound away on him. Foreman was a fearsome puncher, and Ali’s handlers pleaded for him to dance away. By lying against the ropes and letting Foreman punch, however, Ali was pushing his opponent into fatigue. By the eighth round, Foreman was punched out, exhausted, and set up for the knockout.
