Muhammad Ali Won The Rumble, But Foreman Won At Life

Boxing is life; and inside that small ring, a boxer's destiny could be shaped or crushed .

 George Foreman: “I was out of boxing for 10 years, and the only picture that I saved was Muhammad Ali knocking me down. There I was going down from that punch, I kept that and looked at it all the time, mainly because I realised what a big moment it was for sports and for boxing, and it kept me humbled. I never forgot that, and it's made me a far better person than if it had been me knocking him down.”

  That loss taught Big George valuable lessons that victory can never teach. And it drummed home the saying, that: The greatest gems in life sometimes come disguised as tragedies and challenges. 

   "I knew that bitter taste of rejection when I lost my heavyweight boxing title to Muhammad Ali. Everyone loves a winner, but few reporters want to interview the person who loses. My friends in Hollywood stopped calling me. When I was champion, Bob Hope called me to be on his shows. After I lost to Ali, he never called again. One rejection after another seemed to have a domino effect. Fewer people were asking for my autograph. The sports magazines wanted pictures of Ali instead of me. In the world of sports, sometimes you're only as popular as your last victory.”

  The mean-looking, arrogant, menacing young brawler, came out of the furnace refined as a smiling, goodly, cheerful and grateful Big George - what's more, he found Christ.

 Ali and Foreman became very good friends thereafter. Even when Ali was badly stricken with Parkinson's, he still kept contact with Big George. 

 Big George transformed into a happy, lovable smiling Grandpa and retired with all his faculties intact. 

  In my opinion, and based on the latter episodes of their lives; Muhammad Ali won The Rumble, but Big George Foreman won at life.