Stade Tata Raphaël


Stade Tata Raphaël (Father Raphael Stadium) was a multi-use stadium in Kinshasa, RD Congo. Originally known as Stade King Baudouin and later Stade 20 Mai.



Stade Tata Raphaël (Father Raphael Stadium) was a multi-use stadium in Kinshasa, RD Congo.
Originally known as Stade King Baudouin and later Stade 20 Mai, it was used mostly for football matches. It's most famous event was The Rumble in the Jungle boxing match between Muhammed Ali and George Foreman that took place on October 30, 1974.



The Rumble in The Jungle was a historic boxing event that took place on October 30, 1974, in the May 20 Stadium in Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo). It pitted then world Heavyweight champion George Foreman against former world champion and that time challenger Muhammad Ali, who was looking to become the second fighter ever, after Floyd Patterson, to recover the world's Heavyweight crown. The event was Don King's first venture as a professional boxing promoter. He managed to get both Ali and Foreman to sign separate contracts saying they would fight for him if he could get 5 million dollars to be their prize. However, King didn't have the money. So he began looking for an outside country to sponsor the event. Zaire's flamboyant president Mobutu Sésé Seko asked for the fight to be held in his country, eager for the publicity such a high-profile event would bring.
In 1967, Ali had been suspended from the sport of boxing for three and a half years following his refusal to obey the draft and enter the Army.
He also was making a return after his loss against Joe Frazier, called the Fight of the Century, in 1971.
Foreman and Ali spent much of the summer of 1974 training in Zaire, and getting their bodies used to the weather in the tropical African country.

Billy Sousa, Muhammad Ali sparring patner.


Tata Raphaele Stadium The Rumble in the Jungle boxing match between Muhammed Ali and George Foreman that took plac, now used for traning and living by poor young sportsman and sportsgirl.

Staibanda Wata ex boxe champion and boxing girls coach leave in George Foreman former traning site.

Angele, training.










Posted: Jeu. - Janvier 11, 2007 at 09:17 PM          

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