19172

"1974 Ali vs. Foreman ""Rumble in the Jungle"" Prog"

Currency:USD Category:Sports - Cards & Fan Shop Start Price:2,400.00 USD Estimated At:3,000.00 - 4,000.00 USD
 1974 Ali vs. Foreman   Rumble in the Jungle   Prog
<B>1974 Ali vs. Foreman "Rumble in the Jungle" On-Site Fight Program.</B></I> When our consignor contacted the Heritage offices and informed us in a rather matter of fact fashion that, among his rather sizeable collection of Ali fight programs, he had an Ali-Foreman Rumble in the Jungle issue, we must admit a healthy skepticism. Surely it's for the closed caption broadcast, we thought. There's just no way it's the one from Zaire. Well, we're not too proud to admit when we're wrong, and in this case we're thrilled to have been mistaken. We couldn't believe our eyes when we opened up the package to find black and white photographic portraits of these two boxing legends staring back at us from the cover of the "Programme Souvenir" issued at "Kinshasa-Gombe, Zaire, 30 Octobre 1974."<BR><BR> Unquestionably the most coveted post-war boxing program in the hobby, the on-site Rumble in the Jungle program is also the hobby's scarcest. The story of the bout, taking on mythic proportions, is familiar to even the most casual fight fan. The great Muhammad Ali, unfairly stripped of his Heavyweight crown for failing to comply with Vietnam draft laws, looks to regain it from the frighteningly powerful Foreman, who many boxing experts believe will not only knock Ali out, but might kill him in the process. Ali was no longer the the elusive jungle cat he had once been, they believed, and no man could weather the storm of Foreman. But Ali is as smart as as ever, if not as fleet of foot, and employs a plan that will come to be known as "Rope-a-Dope." Rather than eluding the sledgehammer blows of Foreman, Ali leans back against the ropes and takes on the role of heavy bag, absorbing scores of punches on his arms and shoulders while protecting his head and midsection. The chants of "Ali, bomaye" ("Ali, kill him!") of the African crowd quiet as the fight drags on, as it appears that the ex-Champ will do nothing but receive a beating. But suddenly, in the eighth round, Ali sees his opportunity as pounces on the exhausted Foreman, landing a series of heavy blows that sends the Champ cartwheeling to the canvas. And once again, after seven long years, Ali is King.<BR><BR> One of only a theoretical handful from the event ever to leave the continent of Africa, this sixteen-page French language program remains in simply spectacular condition, with only the lightest touches of wear at the corners, a minor bend at top left corner and a tiny area of paper loss that should not knock it from NRMT status. But when considering the fact that programs from the most famous and beloved boxer in history's most noteworthy bout are all but non-existent in the hobby, even a battered and torn copy would be cause for celebration. This "finest known" example, however, is an absolute godsend, sure to answer the prayers of the most serious boxing collector. <BR><BR><B>Important notice:</B> Heritage usually auctions material at the rate of 200-250 lots per hour. On some occasions eBay Live bid software or the Internet may not be able to keep up with the pace of the auction. We recommend placing a realistic absentee bid now as insurance to avoid disappointment. Occasionally the auctioneer may eliminate or reject an eBay Live bid, and the auctioneer may also reopen a lot after the close of the eBay live bidding (usually because we missed an audience bid), and may reject your bid even if it shows you as the winning bidder. By bidding via eBay Live, you agree that Heritage may award the lot to another bidder at its sole discretion under the circumstances described above or any other reasonable circumstances. Since eBay bids are not shown to us until we open the lot on the floor, we treat those bids just like floor bids. In most cases the floor responds before the eBay bid is presented to us, due to Internet lag time, so for consistency we have made it a policy that floor bids are always considered first over tie eBay live bids. Also please note that all Heritage lots purchased through eBay Live carry a 22.5% Buyer's Premium. Please make sure you read the Terms and Conditions before you bid. This lot is being auctioned in conjunction with a live floor auction by Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers. All final auction and invoice information will be supplied by Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers, and all other information should be considered preliminary. Lot:19172 <BR><BR><B>Winning Notification and Billing:</B> After the FINAL session in this auction is complete, Heritage will send e-mail and snail mail invoices. This process normally takes several days. 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