Last week marked the anniversary of a momentous evening in boxing history the meeting of legendary heavyweights, Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. 40 years ago the pair fought in the stifling heat of Zaire in a fight now immortalized as ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’. It was, in the eyes of many, the greatest performance from boxing’s greatest ever purveyor, as Ali pulled off the massive upset against the undefeated, ferocious Foreman, taking back the heavyweight championship.
This weekend Bernard Hopkins and Sergey Kovalev will attempt to leave their own personal stamp on boxing history in a match-up that has more in common with Ali and Foreman’s duel than perhaps first meets the eye. Hopkins was 9 years old when Ali’s tactics caused Foreman to melt before him and succumb to the older man’s intelligence. Four decades on and Hopkins is, much like Ali against Foreman, an aging fighter stepping out on to a dangerous precipice.
The heavyweight champion of the world is a position of immense respect, though George Foreman earned more than that as the undefeated holder of that title at the time he fought Ali. On top of respect, he was feared. Journalists stuttered in front of the colossus. Foreman disposed of great fighters like Joe Frazier and Ken Norton with a level of disregard that bordered on contempt.
Muhammad Ali made a point of refusing to watch Foreman hit the heavy bag in preparation for their fight in order to avoid picturing himself on the end of those very punches. Such behavior was perfectly understandable, even if it was strangely meek of Ali. He was slowing down and the reflexes that once carried him away from trouble were no longer fully there. Decline had set in, and its effects would prove as inevitably unflinching as such a violent profession would suggest. Many were concerned for Ali as he set out to face Foreman. Many considered it an iconic leap too far.
Kovalev’s power has been evident in every punch and from any angle. Tragically in 2011, he wielded this power en route to a stoppage of Roman Simakov that led to his opponent’s death days later. It is not surprising then that since Kovalev’s reputation grew significantly last year, quality opponents have been conspicuous by their absence.
His style has yet to show any real signs of sophistication, but his uncompromising methods have created a definite aura that follows the Russian into the squared circle. A friendlier persona outside of the ring stops him short of being the menacing goliath that Foreman was viewed as, but only just.
In contrast, Hopkins has mastered the subtler arts of the sport. His inside work, spoiling tactics and intelligent maneuvering have enabled him to fight decades past what is normally considered a fighter’s retirement age. Along with that, Hopkins makes use of psychological tricks that habitually make fools of younger men, from pre-fight taunts to push-ups in the ring on fight night, he gets in the mind of opponents in a way that calls to mind, “That all you got, George?” He may not have the rhyming skills of Ali, nor the ideals, but just like Ali he is an aging warrior about to face down his most menacing foe.
The stature of Hopkins vs. Kovalev doesn’t hold a candle to ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’, but the respective crossroads at which each fight was to be fought are eerily similar. This Saturday, Hopkins and Kovalev will evoke memories of October 30th, 1974, but only if Hopkins wins can that great night be in any way emulated.
