Reply #12: ‘Is that all you got George?’ [View All]

"ALI VS. FOREMAN

OCTOBER 30, 1974

MUHAMMED ALI USES THE "ROPE-A-DOPE" TO KO HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION GEORGE

FOREMAN IN THE "RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE"

It was highly unusual for the great, already legendary Muhammed Ali, to walk into the ring as an underdog. But in 1974, he was a 32-year old former world champion. He had lost to Joe Frazier in 1971, and had his jaw broken by Ken Norton in ’73. Ali’s opponent was undefeated Heavyweight Champion, George Foreman. He took out Joe Frazier and Ken Norton—each in only two rounds. This was not the smiling, teddy bear we know today. Many were concerned for Ali’s safety, feeling he could get seriously hurt.

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Ali fell back against the ropes, and waved Foreman to come get him. He protected his head, but Foreman pounded away at his ribs and his gut. Round after round, quite possibly the hardest hitting heavyweight in boxing history unleashed his fury. Only the ropes kept Ali from being launched into the ringside seats. Under the thudding attack of Foreman’s sledgehammer fists, to Ali, every three-minute round must have seemed an hour long.

But there was a nefarious method to Ali’s madness. After several rounds of relentlessly throwing leather, Foreman began to tire, his arms began to drop. In the seventh round, Ali let Foreman in on his secret. "I beat him for one, two, three, four rounds—beat him good", Foreman said. "At about the seventh round, I had him beaten, I knew I had him, he fell on my side and whispered, ‘Is that all you got George?’ I knew something strange was happening in my life especially because that was all I had."

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more at; http://www.hboppv.com/web_exclusives/boxing_history/ali_foreman.shtml

In other words, pretend to be down and out and then come back and do in your opponent.