KINSHASA, Congo — Alfred Mamba recalls the electrifying atmosphere that filled the main soccer stadium in Zaire, now known as Congo, as the intense heavyweight boxing match unfolded over eight rounds between the underdog Muhammad Ali and the seemingly unbeatable George Foreman.
“It was a grand celebration,” Mamba shared, reflecting on the time when his father, one of the co-founders of the boxing federation in Congo, took him to the match when he was just 15 years old.
Flipping through a collection of photos from that event, Mamba vividly remembers the stadium erupting in excitement as Ali and Foreman entered the ring for the highly anticipated event known as the “Rumble in the Jungle.”
“When Foreman was throwing punches, the crowd was going wild,” Mamba, who now serves as a boxing referee, recounted. “But Ali surprised everyone with his hook shots and his ability to box on the ropes. And just like that, he secured his victory.”
The uproar from the crowd surged with every punch that landed, culminating in Ali’s final blow. This electric atmosphere helped inspire a new generation of fighters and fans, ensuring that the country maintained its place on the international boxing stage.
As the 50th anniversary of the legendary Ali vs. Foreman match approaches, boxers and enthusiasts from all over Africa gathered in Kinshasa, the capital of the Congo, for the recently held 21st African Amateur Boxing Championships. The event illuminated the Stade des Martyrs stadium as well as major roadways throughout the city.
Landry Matete Kankonde, representing Congo in the men’s heavyweight division, may have lost to Senegal’s Karamba Kebe, but he remains optimistic about becoming the next Ali, crediting the pivotal match in 1974 for putting Congo on the global boxing map.
“I’m destined to be the next superstar,” said the 24-year-old Kankonde, beaming with hope.
However, in a nation of 110 million people, mostly youth grappling with poverty, aspiring athletes like Kankonde face steep challenges in pursuing their dreams.
Though Congo has a rich history in boxing, it still suffers from a lack of proper sports facilities, including gyms for its national team, which forces many athletes to train outdoors. Mamba noted this sobering reality.
In the eastern region of the country, where a severe security crisis has led to one of the largest humanitarian disasters globally, many individuals can only dream of escaping conflict zones and displacement camps to reach official competitions miles away in the capital.
Even in Kinshasa, amateur boxers often train on the streets without any protective gear, shadowboxing as they attempt to hone their skills.
“Congo is a place where people are driven by the harsh realities of life,” Kankonde stated. “Every time a Congolese fighter gives their all, it’s a testament to what we endure here, and that fuels our passion.”
The 1974 Ali versus Foreman showdown remains one of the most iconic moments in boxing history. The then-dictator Mobutu Sese Seko aimed to highlight Congo on the world stage and partnered with promoters to host the fight, offering a substantial purse of $5 million.
As dawn broke on October 30, 1974, armed soldiers monitored the crowd from ringside while a towering portrait of Mobutu loomed over Stade des Martyrs. Viewers from around the world tuned in to witness Ali, then 25, aiming for a comeback after being stripped of his title for refusing to enlist during the Vietnam War, face off against the undefeated 32-year-old Foreman.
Many considered Ali’s chances slim due to his extended absence from the ring.
“People were praying before the fight that Ali would come out unscathed,” Bill Caplan, Foreman’s public relations representative during the event, later recalled.
“It ranks among the top 10 upsets in boxing history,” said Ed Schuyler Jr., a long-time boxing journalist who covered the fight.
Ali triumphed, flooring Foreman in the eighth round, igniting a passion for boxing among numerous Congolese. Mamba noted that the event spurred a newfound interest in the sport. Inspired by both the match and his father, who also served as a referee, Mamba embraced boxing wholeheartedly.
Over the past fifty years, Congo has continued to produce boxing talents, including Sumbu Kalambay, the Congolese-Italian champion who held the World Boxing Association (WBA) middleweight title in the ’80s, and Junior Ilunga Makabu, who captured the WBC cruiserweight title in the early 2020s.
Interest in boxing endures in Congo, as demonstrated by Josue Loloje, who was present in the Kinshasa stadium for the African championships.
“The Ali vs. Foreman fight laid the groundwork for the emergence of these talents in Congolese boxing,” Loloje remarked amid the ongoing contests. “Everything began with that bout.”