The name Muhammad Ali can still generate a great deal of money.
The heavyweight title belt he won by knocking out George Foreman in the famous “Rumble in Jungle” in 1974 sold at auction for a reported $6.18 million.
The boxing treasure was purchased by Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay.
Irsay tweeted after the fact: “Muhammad Ali’s championship belt from 1974 ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ when he employed his rope-a-dope and defeated George Foreman – just added [to] @IrsayCollection. Proud to be the steward!”
BREAKING—-Muhammad Ali’s
championship belt from 1974 ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ when he employed his rope-a-dope and defeated George Foreman—-just added to @IrsayCollection Just in time for the Aug. 2 show at Chicago’s Navy Pier (and Sept. 9 at Indy). Proud to be the steward!🙏 pic.twitter.com/REJOGV1Cwq— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) July 24, 2022
Ali, 32 years old when he faced the then-unbeaten Foreman, was an underdog when they stepped into the ring in Kinshasa in what was then Zaire (now The Congo).
However, Ali used his now-historic “rope-a-dope” tactic, wore the muscle-bound Foreman down and stopped him in eight rounds to regain the heavyweight title that was stripped from him when he refused induction into the U.S. Armed Forces in 1967.
It was arguably the Hall of Famer’s greatest victory.