50 years, it can't be!!!!!!!!!!

OTD (October 29th, 1974) former heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali 44-2 (31) knocked out reigning heavyweight champ George Foreman 40-0 (37) in the 8th round to become the 2nd former heavyweight champ in history to regain the title a 2nd time.

Unless you were around at the time there's no way you can grasp how invincible and unbeatable Foreman was perceived to be by the experts and historians. Many didn't just think he'd beat Ali, they feared he might actually hurt him. I'm not sure of any other heavyweight before or since who could've defeated the 1973-74 version of Foreman that Ali did.

Over the years looking back I think the GOAT debate was settled that night. Until he defeated Foreman, Ali took a back seat to Joe Louis and a few others. After 1974/75 the talk began that maybe he is the GOAT.

Had Foreman won, he'd hold stoppage victories over both Ali and Joe Frazier, and he wouldn't have left Boxing and maybe he's seen as the GOAT? Moreover, based on his successful comeback in 1987 and winning the title again in 1994 20 years after losing it, George may have held the title as long as he wanted.......However, Ali won and it is he who holds stoppage wins over Frazier and Foreman along with Liston. No other heavyweight holds stoppage victories over fighters of that caliber. Had Foreman won the "Rumble In the Jungle" he'd have the next best case!

This is my ticket stub from the closed circuit showing of the Foreman-Ali heavyweight title bout. My father took me to see it at the theater in the Moorestown Mall in Moorestown NJ. My father was certain Foreman was gonna knock Ali (he always rooted against him) out and was pretty happy on the ride there in his 1974 Yellow and white Cadillac Coupe DeVille, and I was quiet. On the way back I was happy and talkative, and my father was sullen and just said I'll never pick against Clay again. He seldom referred to Ali as Ali.

Notice the stub has the original date of September 24th, 1974, before Foreman was cut while sparring with Bill McMurray 8 days before the fight. Resulting in the postponement. Thus, the fight took place on October 30th in Zaire and 10:30 PM EST October 29th in the United States.