Boxing-match II. George Foreman contra Muhammad Ali, 1974 “Rumble in the jungle”

There was never a re-mach held in Kinshasa. The stamps used were the series printed before the no’s 843-847. They had a date printed on them of 24-9-74, the match took place one day later. The date was overprinted with a new date, but Mobutu wanted a new stamp for the match. Instead of destroying these series, they were used in 1975.

Muhammad Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky as Cassius Marcellus Clay.

First boxer to win the world heavyweight boxing championship title three different times. After winning a gold medal as a light heavyweight at the 1960 Olympic Games, he turned professional. In 1964 he made good his claim of being "The Greatest"; after only 20 professional fights he became world heavyweight champion. He lost a championship bout to Joe Frazier in 1971. Ali regained his title in 1974 by defeating George Foreman. He lost the title to Leon Spinks in 1978 but regained it after defeating Spinks later that year. He retired in 1979. Throughout his career, Ali's skills supported his claim that he could "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." He retired as one of boxing's greatest champions.

George Foreman, born January 1949

Boxer Olympic heavyweight champ (1968); world heavyweight champ (1973-74 and 94-95); lost title to Muhammad Ali (KO-8th) in '74; recaptured it on Nov. 5, 1994 at age 45 with a 10-round KO of WBA/IBF champ Michael Moorer, becoming the oldest man to win heavyweight crown; named AP Male Athlete of Year 20 years after losing title to Ali; stripped of WBA title in 1995 after declining to fight No. 1 contender; successfully defended title at age 46 against 26-year-old Axel Schulz in controversial majority decision; gave up IBF title after refusing rematch with Schulz.

Date of issue: 20 February and 24 June 1975

Expiration date:

Design:

Printing:

Perforation: 12

Size: 30 x 41 mm

Sheet: 50 (10 x 5)

Marginal inscriptions: white, colored blocks and spirals in the left margin, plate numbers at the right bottom.

Circulation:

No 848. 0,01z, pastel colors

No 849. 0,04z, pastel colors

No 850. 0,06z, pastel colors

No 851. 0,14z, pastel colors

No 852. 0,20z, pastel colors

The series:

The imperforated series is in size and coloring exact the same as above:

Remark: the white border around these stamps is much larger when cut from a side, top, bottom or corner of a sheet.

There are no variations or curiosities known for any of the above shown material.