There was so much "rope a dope" talk attached to that fight, that people got the impression Ali was on the ropes the entire fight. Not so. From the opening bell he came out the aggressor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJphXRp0s......t=21m12s

George simply wasn't prepared for Ali's speed and power.

"float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. Your hands can't hit, what your eyes can't see".

Throughout the fight, Ali peppers George with left jabs and leading rights to the face, sometimes staggering him.


Here at 51:54, Foreman is going down after an Ali flourish of punches:

http://youtu.be/YJphXRp0sRI?t=51m54s

Ali "legally" could have punched George as he was falling, but he pulled back. Years later George commented that he would have not held back like that and felt it was another testament to Ali's greatness in the ring.

Ali used the ropes quite effectively to wear down Foreman, who had thrown quite a number of punches by the time he had gotten knocked out.

As I remember, Ali only rope-a-doped for about two rounds. But, even then, he occasionally lashed out with stinging jabs to Foreman's face.

Mastermindreader, I believe that is correct.

Ali verbally taunted him the entire fight. That's tiring to talk that much, let alone boxing at the same time. And at the bell, George would go sit down, while Ali would sometimes go stand in his corner. He really messed with George's head.

In the documentary film "When We Were Kings," George Plimpton and Norman Mailer discuss Ali's constant taunting of Foreman. ("Is that it, George? Is that all you got?" etc.)

Now you guys got me looking for a video of that fight. The other thing I remember, being that I had boxed at the time, was the punishing force of Foreman's punches

If you go back and watch the fight you'll find after the second round Ali is constantly on the ropes, covering up and allowing Foreman to punch himself out. As the fight goes on you can see him tiring more and more. Very effective strategy for Ali in combination with his skills.

I was remembering the shocking power of Foreman, and wondering how Ali could even hold his arms up after receiving such a bombardment. Here is Foreman, many years later, still a force…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0SONoA5L1g

I think Ali never got the recognition he deserved for being able to take punishment because he was such a great offensive machine...

Read Angelo Dundee's book.

Or watch the award winning documentary, "When We Were Kings." It is the best exposition of "The Rumble in the Jungle" that I've ever seen.

That was a good documentary.

That was an excellent documentary. Thanks for making mention of it.