In 1974, boxing legend Muhammad Ali (1942-2016) defeated George Foreman (73) at the “Rumble in the Jungle” in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa (then still in the Republic of Zaire). The world champion belt he received at the time has now been auctioned for $6.18 million (approx. 6.05 million euros). This emerges from the website of the auction house Heritage Auctions. The new owner is therefore Jim Irsay (63), owner of the NFL team Indianapolis Colts.
Irsay shared on his Twitter account that the belt is now part of his “Irsay Collection”. The belt will be on display in August at his next exhibition in Chicago. Irsay is “proud” to be the “custodian” of this collector’s item.
According to Heritage Auctions, the belt is the most expensive collector’s item from the sports world ever auctioned through this auction house.
In the “Rumble in the Jungle” (in German: “brawl in the jungle”), Muhammad Ali faced off against the then almost invincible George Foreman. However, Ali sat down in the eighth round with a knockout. and secured the heavyweight boxing crown.
