Forty years ago, the “Rumble in the Jungle” boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Forman became near legend, marking its celebrated place in the history of great sporting events. This is the fight when Ali became “The Greatest.”
The Muhammad Ali Center [4] is delighted to commemorate this standout moment in history with a heavyweight of the musical variety headlining CONGO14. Singer-songwriter, performer, record producer, choreographer, and Grammy Award-winner Bruno Mars will be the main act for the benefit concert, with proceeds supporting the Muhammad Ali Center initiatives. Horseshoe Southern Indiana is sponsoring this celebratory anniversary. Look forward to the opening acts as well, including the Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards and Southern Sirens.
The Muhammad Ali Center presents this non-profit festival with Cable Music and the Calabar Group. The festivities reach across the globe, as CONGO14 [5] also will be expanding its triumphant reach to Africa. Louisville’s event coincides with the Zaire74 musical event that heralded The Greatest’s epic battle in 1974. Kinshasa, Congo, the city that initially hosted the famous boxing match, will hold its own revelry and merriment on November 1st, the exact date Ali overcame the odds to become champion.
The CONGO14 Festival [5] cites Muhammad Ali's pride for this festival, as "Forty years later, even though I now have a quieter rumble, I still have great passion for what the fight and its build-up meant to the world."
Buy tickets by clicking here [6] or by calling the Kentucky Exposition Center Ticket Office at 502-367-5144 or calling Ticketmaster National Sales at 1-800-745-3000.
The concert takes place this Saturday, September 20th starting at 5:00 p.m. at the Kentucky International Convention Center (downtown Louisville).
Students, educators, and the military are eligible for special ticket prices.
General Admission: $50 for bleacher seats (plus fees) and $99 for floor seats (plus fees).
It is important to recognize our history, and what better way than through such a joyous, entertaining musical celebration?
Cover Photo: Courtesy of Shutterstock [7]/dwphotos [8]