The historic fight that helped black athletes for half a century

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Growing up as a black kid in Sheffield in the 1960s and 70s wasn't always easy.

Johnny Nelson can testify to that - he had to overcome many obstacles in the gym and society as a whole to make his way and become a long-serving boxing world champion.

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He managed that mainly due to the support and care of legendary Wincobank trainer Brendan Ingle, who guided him on a day to day basis.

But Nelson was also hugely influenced by the spectacle of the "Rumble in the Jungle" - the epic battle between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Zaire on October 30, 1974.

This week sees the 50th anniversary of the historic battle - Africa’s first-ever heavyweight title event.In one corner, 25-year-old huge puncher Foreman, victorious in all 40 of his previous bouts, 37 by stoppage.

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In the other a 32-year-old Ali, whose better days seemed to have been behind him, having been beaten by Joe Frazier and Ken Norton.

Ali's eventual victory was credited to his high-risk " ‘rope-a-dope’ " tactic of sitting back and blocking some punches, tiring his opponent out.

The victor labelled the fight “the biggest event in the history of the world since Roman gladiators.”

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Muhammad AliMuhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali

Back in his home in Sheffield, a seven-year-old Johnny Nelson was not just impressed by the eight rounds of hell, but was utterly absorbed by its surrounding hype.

"It made people like me want boxing to be my life,’ Nelson told the Metro.

"It put the sport on a completely different level and it inspired so many. "Ask any fighter, regardless of where they were born, and he or she will be able to pull something from that fight that spoke to him or her. That is every single fighter out there."

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To see two black men in Zaire get the world’s attention like that was what dreams were made of.

Muhammad Ali in 1974Muhammad Ali in 1974
Muhammad Ali in 1974

"Watching that as a young black kid, you knew it could be done. 'That is someone who looks like me. If they can do it, I can do it.'

"Before then, it wasn’t thought possible, to get to that level where the world stops and watches.

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"But it was there in front of us. They showed there was a way. It was a precedent and for countless black British fighters, this had a huge influence. The whole world was talking about it.’

Nelson, now a 57-year-od TV pundit, regards the Rumble as a milestone.

A young george foremanA young george foreman
A young george foreman

"History was being made and at the time we didn’t realise how much it was shaping our sport."

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Ali made boxing a worldwide sport and inspired generation after generation regarding how much they get paid and making them understand it is not about just being a good boxer but being a personality. Whether people like you or loathe you. Ali was the first to capture that."

He said promoter Don King, who had put $5m purses on the line, had been the architect of the event and others to follow."

This razzle-dazzle, this arrogance, trying to make it showbusiness. You were still fighting boxing snobbery and racism so for a black promoter like King to come in and do such braggadocios things in such a politically sensitive country...it was scoffed at.

"The elites in the sport said it couldn’t be done.

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"There was a lot done to try and trip him up. Regardless of what you think of King, he set it up."

Sheffield boxing champ Johnny Nelson receives his MBE from Prince William at Windsor Castle.Sheffield boxing champ Johnny Nelson receives his MBE from Prince William at Windsor Castle.
Sheffield boxing champ Johnny Nelson receives his MBE from Prince William at Windsor Castle.

Nelson boxed from 1986 to 2005 and held the WBO title for more than six years, making him the longest-reigning cruiserweight champion of all time.

He looks back at the 1974 battle in Kinshasa and described it as "50 years of influence.

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"They’ve made countless movies to try recreate what is was about. This bled through across society and culture across generations" he said.

"There are certain things you remember and this is one of them. It was part of our history. And people don’t realise that until it’s gone.

"Look at the big shows now. It is not just about putting bums on seats. It is about showbusiness. The story behind the show. There has got to be a reason for people to come and watch.

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"It doesn’t matter what your skill level is, you need that as part of it. There’s got to be something capturing the imagination. Today’s version of the sport has learned massive lessons. How to tell a story. We now know much money can be made. That has been the blueprint for everything since."

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