The Rumble in the Jungle, Muhammad Ali’s stoppage of George Foreman in 1974, in what was then Zaire has taken on almost mythic proportions. It was the subject of an Academy Award-winning documentary, “When We Were Kings.” It’s remembered by authors, filmmakers and promoters wanting to make a buck.
It begs for a sequel, and one might be in the works.
There is interest in redoing a version of the legendary event, this time involving Anthony Joshua, according to Joshua manager Freddie Cunningham.
Cunningham told Sky Sports that Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn “is exploring an option” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the former Zaire.
“There has been an approach,’’ Cunningham said.
Joshua, a U.K. heavyweight champion of Nigerian descent, became interested in fighting in Africa after visiting Nigeria about a year ago. He traveled for his last two fights – an upset loss to Andy Ruiz on June 1 at New York’s Madison Square Garden and a rematch victory on Dec. 7 in Saudi Arabia.
Joshua’s immediate plan, however, is for a title defense in the U.K., perhaps against mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev at Tottenham’s soccer stadium.
“For the next fight, Africa is not the right time,’’ Cunningham said. “But, at some point, he 100 percent wants it.
“It went so well in Saudi that they will want to be kept in the loop. And there are always options in the U.K. Tottenham’s stadium is great and local to where AJ grew up.”