Don King To Stage 'Rumble In The Jungle II' In Ghana

Ghana will be the center of global attention in September when the country host the second "Rumble in the Jungle" to celebrate the life of boxing legend Muhammed Ali.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Nii Lantey Vanderpuye disclosed this during the WBO featherweight title bout between Ghana’s Isaac Dogbe and Ugandan Edward Kakembo at the Accra Sports Stadium last Saturday.

The decision for Ghana to host was taken when sports Ministers of the African Union (AU) met in Addis Ababa to discuss how Africa will immortalize the death of Muhammed Ali.

The Minister said all the ministers at the meeting unanimously agreed that Ghana should host the bout.

“Don King wants us to organize Rumble in The Jungle II here in Ghana and all the ministers of sports of Africa have supported Ghana to organize that, to honour other world champions we have had in this country,” the Minster disclosed.

Nii Lante Vanderpuye said an agreement for the bout has been reached between the AU Commission and Don King.

“Don King has agreed in principle with the AU Commission to celebrate Muhammed Ali in Ghana,” the Minister said.

The American famous boxing promoter Don King is expected in Ghana at the end of this month to start preparations towards the historic ceremony in September.

The renowned boxing promoter is known for promoting fights such as the Thrilla in Manila between Mohammed Ali and Joe Fraizer in 1970, and the Rumble in the Jungle in Congo DR, formerly Zaire.

The Rumble in the Jungle was a heavyweight championship fight between Muhammed Ali and George Foreman in 1974. King was able to promote the bout to secure a then-record $10million purse through an arrangement with the government of Zaire. It goes down in history as one of the greatest boxing bouts ever.

Ghana was the first country Muhammed Ali visited immediately after winning the world heavyweight title when he defeated Sonny Liston in 1964.

Source: GNA