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This WBC Championship Belt Rumbled in The Jungle! Indianapolis Colts Owner Jim Irsay Buys Muhammad Ali’s Kinshasa Belt at Heritage Auctions For 6.16 Million Dollars

By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent

Indianapolis, Indiana (July 25th, 2022)–  Muhammad Ali was “The Greatest” of all time, and in Kinshasa, Zaire, on October 30, 1974, Ali knocked out George Foreman in the eighth round there to recapture the World Heavyweight crown form George Foreman, becoming only the second former champion since Floyd Patterson to regain the world heavyweight title.

At issue is the magical World Boxing Council World Heavyweight championship belt won by Ali, known for his political views, stance against the Vietnam War, and practice of Islam as a member of the Black Muslims under the late Elijah Wallace Muhammad, which cost him his boxing license for several years, until the United States Supreme Court unanimously reinstated it.

On Sunday, July 24, 2022. Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay confirmed he had purchased Ali’s World Boxing Council World Heavyweight championship belt won from George Foreman for 6.18 million dollars at auction from Heritage Auctions. The belt is scheduled to go on tour in August 2022, starting in Chicago, Illinois, where it will go on public display, and then onto Indianapolis, Indiana. In terms of boxing memorabilia, Ali’s Zaire belt has fetched the highest known price for a piece of boxing history in boxing history.




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Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert is the Head Boxing Correspondent for Real Combat Media Boxing since 2013. Robert is also a photographer and ringside reporter for the RCM Tri State region which includes NJ, NY and PA. Robert conducts exclusive interviews, provides historical boxing articles and provides editorial ringside coverage of major boxing events. You can contact or follow Robert on Facebook and by email at [email protected].