Latest news with #Zaire
The Sun
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Muhammad Ali would still tease George Foreman about Rumble in the Jungle 40 years on after they became best friends
MUHAMMAD ALI would still tease George Foreman about their Rumble in the Jungle 40 years on - after the pair became inseparable. Ali famously defeated Foreman in Zaire - now the Democratic Republic of the Congo - in 1974 with over ONE BILLION viewers watching worldwide. 5 And he did so using his famous rope-a-dope tactic - allowing Foreman to punch himself out before winning in round eight. The build-up was bitter and the rivalry carried on post-fight to lead to what was an expected rematch. But after Foreman claimed to have died in his dressing room after losing to Jimmy Young in 1976 - he found God and retired. It also paved the way for Foreman to form a brotherhood with Ali - up until the boxing great's death in 2016. Ali's grandson, MMA star Biaggio, told SunSport: "My grandpa and George, they were very, very close. They spoke all the time. "The only memory I have with George myself was from my grandfather's 70th birthday party. "We met George there, I was 12 years old and even at 12 years old, I knew who George Foreman was. "I had seen the fight with him and Poppy and I was like, 'Oh, George Foreman, nice to meet you.' "He was such a nice guy, like super humble, down to earth and of just a very successful businessman at that point too. "So, really, that's like the only memory I have from George, but I do know that him and my grandfather, they were really close." Ali retired in 1981 after 61 fights and three heavyweight title reigns - but he was sadly diagnosed with Parkinson's disease three years later. Although that did not stop the quick-witted sports great from throwing verbal jabs to his rival-turned-friend Foreman. Biaggio, 26, revealed: "Poppy was a jokester, man. Like he would always joke about certain things. "It's crazy when I would visit him in Arizona and he'd be sitting on his like reclining chair, I would shake his hand and in my head, I'd be thinking, 'This hand knocked out George Foreman in Africa.' "Certain things like that I would reminisce in my head and then at the same time I'm like, 'But you're just my grandpa.' It was a very strange feeling my whole life really. "But yeah, they definitely had some banter, you know, Poppy was a jokester, he's always joking." Foreman made a comeback in 1987 after ten years out and became the oldest heavyweight champion of all time aged 46. I would visit him in Arizona and he'd be sitting on his like reclining chair, I would shake his hand and in my head, I'd be thinking, 'This hand knocked out George Foreman in Africa.' Biaggio Ali Walsh But the multimillionaire businessman - who made over £150million through his cooking grills - died in March at 76. Ali meanwhile passed nearly ten years prior but Biaggio - an unbeaten MMA fighter and brother Nico a professional boxer - continue on the legacy. Middleweight Nico has 12 wins, two losses and one no-contest in his 15 boxing bouts while Biaggio - a former American football prospect - is 2-0 in the cage. Biaggio - signed to the Professional Fighters League - returns on June 27 in Chicago - but wants to compete all over the world - like his grandfather before him. He said: "I wanna just fight. So, anywhere it is, that'd be great. "And I think it's cool too, you get to travel and get to see a lot of new places and stuff. I'd never been to Saudi Arabia before until I fought there. "That's what's so cool about this job, you get to travel and see new places and destinations, places you never been to. "All are possibilities, especially with the PFL, man, I love the PFL." 5 5
Times
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Times
Nick Kotch obituary: Reuters bureau chief
Clutching the sides of a speedboat bouncing across the Zaire river's choppy brown waters, the reporter Nick Kotch found himself roaring full throttle away from one of the biggest stories of his career: the May 1997 capture of Kinshasa by a rebel movement bent on overthrowing President Mobutu Sese Seko, the long-serving despot. Kotch and two colleagues from the Reuters news agency had heard they were about to be arrested for conspiracy. Having already spent ten hours in detention at the headquarters of the dreaded SNIP intelligence service — they could hear other 'guests' being tortured down the hall — and time sleeping on the British embassy's floor, a quick escape seemed in order. A friendly DHL representative provided the getaway boat. Days later, his
Perth Now
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Gabrielle Union admits there's 'no balance' in her life
Gabrielle Union has struggled to find "balance" in her life. The 52-year-old actress admits that she's struggled to balance her career in Hollywood with her responsibilities as a mother. The movie star - who has Kaavia, six, with Dwyane Wade, and is also the stepmother to Zaire, 23, Dahveon, 21, Zaya, 17, and Xavier, 11 - told Marie Claire magazine's Motherhood Issue: "I felt much more conflicted about my lack of balance with Zaire and Dahveon because their needs were just different and they needed me to be physically present. "But there's no balance. I can't work in Atlanta 12 to 16 hours a day and think that I can have balance when I'm flying in on the weekends. Now I rely heavily on our village and there is zero shame in that." Gabrielle acknowledged that she needs help from a team of people to raise her children. The actress - who has been married to Dwayne since 2014 - said: "Not only do we have their long-term nanny, we've had mannies, we have family members, we have aunties, we have tutors, teachers, therapists. It's all hands on deck. "A lot of us have deep shame about that. But there is no balance. I had to give myself a ton of grace and be like, I can't do it. I'm not even going to attempt having some kind of balance when none exists." Zaya came out as trans when she was 12 years old, and Gabrielle sees it as her job to "keep her safe and protected". She said: "It's who my child was born to be, who her soul dictates she is. "It's my job to keep her safe and protected and educated and loved; and I can love her up in such a way that she can find community that exists outside of us for the rest of her life." Meanwhile, Dwayne previously acknowledged that fatherhood is "hard". The former NBA star told E! News: "We all know that being a parent is hard. "I mean, being a human in this world is hard. That's just starting as just that - that's not even putting black complexion to it."
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Yahoo
Drowning of 3-year-old in Westchester leaves mother hospitalized with grief, family devastated
A 3-year-old boy who tragically drowned in a Westchester stream had just moved to the area with his mom, who was trying to 'start a new life' for them, according to their heartbroken family. Zaire Alberick wandered from his family's Mamaroneck home with their dog Thursday around noon, setting off a frantic search by his grandfather and neighbors. He was reported missing around 2:15 p.m. Police found the toddler's body about 20 minutes later in the Mamaroneck River, a seven-mile stream that runs through southern Westchester. EMS pronounced him dead at the scene. Authorities believe he fell into the water about two blocks from home, drowned and was carried downstream to the Hillside Avenue Bridge where he was found. Zaire and his mother, Derly Dorval, were staying with family at the time, the boy's aunt, Denise Barnes, wrote on a GoFundMe page to raise money for the funeral. Dorval had started working as a nursing assistant at a New Rochelle nursing home and was trying to find an apartment for her and her son. 'Both she and Zaire's father, Zanetti Alberick, are devastated,' Barnes wrote. 'Derly is currently hospitalized due to her grief of losing her only son.' 'We are asking for your prayers and support for this young family as they plan a funeral for their beloved 3-year-old son,' she added. Dorval, 27, and Zanetti Alberick, 28, previously lived in Suffolk County, according to records. The fundraiser for the boy had raised over $12,000 as of Saturday afternoon.
