The 1968 Olympic champion was invited on stage in the interlude between welcome speeches from some of the world's most influential figureheads, including Qatar's Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani, French Secretary of State for Sports Thierry Braillard and Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon.

After talking in detail about his poverty-struck background, in which he described his family as "so poor we were called 'po' as we couldn't even afford the 'or'", the boxer turned entrepreneur, reminisced over arguably the most entertaining sporting spectacle of the 20th century - The Rumble in the Jungle, an event which celebrated its 40th anniversary last Thursday (October 30). 

"The only time I wasn't afraid was when I fought [Muhammad] Ali, and then I should have been afraid," he said.

"I was not scared at all.

"I never went in the ring again unless I was strictly scared."

George Foreman said the only time he was not afraid when going into a fight was The Rumble in the Jungle bout with Muhammad Ali ©Getty Images


He added: "I was overconfident that's all there was to it.

"No one had ever knocked him [Muhammad Ali] out but I figured I'd knock him out in three rounds.

"I remember him saying, 'Is that all you got George', and I was thinking, 'Yep'.

"He really had a cause, and when you have a cause, you don't just knock out a cause.

"I remember going into the ring and hitting him with my best shots.

"He was most experienced, he was accustomed to taking punches and he beat me fair and square."

The official welcome address for the Forum was made by Sheikh Abdullah as he welcomed the speakers, participants, students and guests to the Qatari capital, while conveying the greetings of the Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

"The Academy is now hosting this diverse crowd of global leaders and decision-makers who believe in sports as a tool to achieve social progress and, economic development," he said.

"Over a short period of time, the Doha GOALS Foundation succeeded in becoming a global organisation, and this makes us proud of our strategic national vision, which sport is one of its pillars."

The Doha GOALS Forum has brought together some of the worlds' top sports leaders and politicians ©Twitter


The official opening of the Forum came after an indoor football tournament in the Aspire Dome which included former German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn and ex-French international Louis Saha.

The 2014 Doha GOALS Forum is focused on sport's place in national and state policy and has set out to highlight the contributions and viewpoints of heads of state, as well as corporate leaders, sports practitioners, experts and executives is sports associations.

The Forum, the third of its kind, is set to welcome more than 120 speakers, 1,500 participants and 400 students across the two and a half days, and will hope to establish new initiatives that will progress the world through sport.

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