DR Congo’s leader receives Mike Tyson
(MENAFN) American boxing icon Mike Tyson met with Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi on Sunday in Kinshasa, concluding events celebrating the 50th anniversary of the legendary ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.
Tyson described the meeting as a “beautiful experience” and said he and Tshisekedi discussed life and a number of possible projects. He also confirmed that he will “return to the country in the coming days.” The boxer publicly acknowledged his Congolese roots, according to reports from the president’s press office.
Arriving in Kinshasa on Saturday, Tyson also engaged with young boxers as part of the anniversary celebrations. At a press conference held at the newly renamed Ali-Foreman Stadium, formerly Stade Tata Raphael, he reflected on the historical significance of the venue. “I would love to be in the same room that Ali and Foreman were in. Yeah, I would like to do it, that’d be amazing,” Tyson said.
The original ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ took place on October 30, 1974, in Kinshasa and is remembered as one of boxing’s most iconic matches, with Ali defeating Foreman in the eighth round. Tyson, often seen as a spiritual heir to Ali, shared his personal connection to the fight: “Well, the fact that it’s called Ali-Foreman Stadium, it speaks for itself. It was a wonderful fight. Ali was successful and it will last in the memories forever. I was nine years old when that happened and I remember when that fight took place. I remember the excitement of it.”
Born in 1966 in Brooklyn, New York, Tyson is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight fighters in history. Known as ‘Iron Mike’ and often called ‘the Baddest Man on the Planet,’ he rose to prominence in the 1980s thanks to his explosive power and aggressive boxing style.
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