(MENAFN) American boxing icon Mike Tyson met with Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi on Sunday in Kinshasa to mark the conclusion of events celebrating the 50th anniversary of the historic Rumble in the Jungle bout between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.

Tyson called the meeting a “beautiful experience,” saying he and Tshisekedi spoke about life and several possible joint initiatives. He also revealed plans to “return to the country in the coming days.” According to the Congolese presidency, Tyson publicly acknowledged his Congolese roots during the visit.

Arriving in Kinshasa on Saturday, Tyson met young boxers and took part in the anniversary festivities. At a press conference held at the newly renamed Ali-Foreman Stadium—formerly Stade Tata Raphael—he reflected on the arena’s historical importance. “I would love to be in the same room that Ali and Foreman were in. Yeah, I would like to do it, that’d be amazing,” he said.

The legendary Rumble in the Jungle fight took place on Oct. 30, 1974, in Kinshasa, where Ali shocked the world by knocking out Foreman in the eighth round.

Tyson, often described as a spiritual successor to Ali, recalled how the match influenced him as a child: “Well, the fact that it’s called Ali-Foreman Stadium, it speaks for itself. It was a wonderful fight. Ali was successful and it will last in the memories forever. I was nine years old when that happened and I remember when that fight took place. I remember the excitement of it.”

Born in 1966 in Brooklyn, Tyson is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight champions in history. Known as Iron Mike and the Baddest Man on the Planet, he became the youngest heavyweight champion ever in 1986 at age 20, after claiming the WBC title. He went on to unify the WBA and IBF belts, dominating the sport for years.

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