How many times did Muhammad fight George Foreman? Why Ali never gave Foreman a rematch?

George Foreman and Muhammad Ali fought just once, in one of the most popular boxing bouts, popularly known as The Rumble in the Jungle. 

The fight took place on October 30, 1974, at the 20th of May Stadium (now the Stade Tata Raphaël) in Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo), between George Foreman, who was then an undefeated and undisputed heavyweight champion and “underdog” Muhammad Ali.

The bout has been touted “arguably the greatest sporting event of the 20th century” and was a major upset, with Ali coming in as a 4–1 underdog against the unbeaten, heavy-hitting Foreman.

The fight is also famous for Ali’s introduction of the rope-a-dope tactic.

Though boxing fans clamored for a rematch, as did Foreman himself, a second bout never happened.

Below is a look at why a second fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman didn’t take place.

Why Ali never gave Foreman a rematch?

After “The Rumble in the Jungle,” a rematch with Muhammad Ali and George Foreman seemed like a mere formality.

Fans wanted it, Foreman wanted it, and Ali had a history of big-time rematches with Henry Cooper, Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson, Jerry Quarry, George Chuvalo, Joe Frazier, and Ken Norton.

The more the days rolled by, the more a rematch with George Foreman seemed likely. But it never happened.

Following the fight with George Foreman, Muhammad Ali seemed to prefer fights which seemed a little easier.

In an interview, George Foreman appeared to have indicated that he was glad a rematch with Ali never happened.

Foreman said:

“Ali was the bravest man I ever shared the ring with and it all came down to the issue we had with Dick Sadler. Strange things can happen in boxing matches, that fighters never mention, and I may have caught him with one punch that he wasn’t willing to take again.

“A really heavy body shot bent Ali over at the waist and it was obvious he was hurt. When the bell rang to end that particular round he gave me a look and I remember thinking to myself, this is the bravest man I’ve ever faced. Despite chasing the rematch I asked myself, many times, if I truly wanted to get back in the ring with him.

“If Ali was a touch scared of fighting me again – I was glad of it.”