WATCH: Rumble in the Jungle, anniversary of arguably the greatest bout

At 32 years old, Muhammad Ali was seven years George Foreman, the heavyweight champion’s senior, and many believed that victory would be impossible against his formidable opponent.

But Ali, had history on his mind. $5 million, the biggest purse ever in boxing at the time. His first trip to Africa, which would host what many boxing enthusiasts still say is the greatest bout in the history of the sport.

It seemed that he knew something that other people didn’t know, as if he’d had a glimpse into a veiled future. In interviews before the match, he was nothing if not arrogantly confident about the fight’s outcome. But, then again, that has come to be expected of boxers before their fights.