WATCH: Muhammad Ali Once Left Thousands in Splits After Surprising Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Arch-Rival to Create Iconic Oscars Moment

It is always a great spectacle to watch two of the greatest icons in their respective fields come together. Arguably the greatest sporting figure of all time, Muhammad Ali and Hollywood superstar Sylvester Stallone raised the roof when they met each other for the first time.

The legendary boxer surprised Arnold Schwarzenegger’s rival and fellow actor during the 49th Academy Awards.

What happened when Muhammad Ali met Sylvester Stallone?

The Academy Award is the highest prestige for an actor. Some of the biggest superstars are honored for their work with an Oscar award. However, the award show is also famous for incredible moments as well. One such moment occurred when Muhammad Ali surprised Sylvester Stallone on stage at the 49th Academy Awards in 1977.

The iconic boxer came up behind Stallone as he was presenting Beatrice Straight With the best-supporting actress award. Following his entry, Ali jokingly accused the Rocky Balboa star of stealing his “script.” He claimed it was his movie, to begin with.

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Furthermore, Ali challenged Stallone to show him how his boxing skills and the duo shadow boxed each other around the stage and finally embraced one another. The Hollywood star reminded Ali of this encounter during his 60th birthday celebration in 2002.

How did Sylvester Stallone come up with the idea for ‘Rocky’?

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s rival brought to the world one of the greatest sporting movies of all time. In 1976, more than four decades ago, Stallone turned an idea into a reality in the form of a movie about a loser-turned-champion boxer. Additionally, a real-life boxer named Chuck Wepner was the inspiration behind the movie.

According to Stallone, he got the idea from watching Wepner go head to head against the legend himself, Muhammad Ali. Wepner struck the champion with a hard blow after Ali beat him to a pulp for eight rounds straight. Moreover, the crowd went from booing him to cheering him. Consequently, the display of resilience inspired an incredible movie franchise.

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What do you think about Muhammad Ali and Sylvester Stallone’s friendly spar at the Oscars? Let us know in the comments below.