The sale of the "most important prize in boxing history" to Muhammad Ali for a record amount .. Why was his victory over Foreman called the "fight of the century"?

Heritage Auctions announced that it had sold the belt that the late boxing legend Muhammad Ali won in the so-called "fight of the century" that he fought in 1974, for a record amount of $ 6.18 million, and American businessman Jim Irsai obtained it to include it in his holdings.

The sports auction company stated - in its statement - that the belt came out for the first time in 1988, when the contents of the lockers belonging to the late boxing coach Drew Bondini were sold at an auction.

The belt is one of Muhammad Ali's most remarkable legacy, and has been described by the company as the most important prize ever offered in boxing, and Heritage Sports Auctions Director Chris Ivey said, "After a few hours of watching two bidders go back and forth for the belt, this fight proved worth it." ".

BREAKING—-Muhammad Ali's

championship belt from 1974 'Rumble in the Jungle' when he employed his rope-a-dope and defeated George Foreman—-just added to @IrsayCollection Just in time for the Aug.

2 show at Chicago's Navy Pier (and Sept. 9 at Indy).

Proud to be the steward!🙏 pic.twitter.com/REJOGV1Cwq

— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) July 24, 2022

The auction, which ended up in favor of Indianopolis Colts owner Jim Irsai, amounted to 6.18 million dollars, the highest number for a sports collectible in the history of the famous auction house.

"Proud to have the belt," Ersay said on Twitter, and wrote that he will display it in his collection on August 2 at the Navy Pier in Chicago, and on September 9 in Indianopolis.

Muhammad Ali won the belt for his fight against George Foreman in the heavyweight boxing, which he fought in 1974 in an arena inside the forest in Zaire, Africa, and Ali managed to win it, contrary to expectations.

This match, called "The Battle of the Century", witnessed unprecedented interest, in which Muhammad Ali presented one of his best matches, as most of the match continued to receive his opponent's blows quietly, before surprising him with a lightning attack and knocking him down in the eighth round.

The importance of the match was that it came on Muhammad Ali's journey to regain his title after his return from the suspension that followed his refusal to join the Vietnam War, which gave the fight a special importance.