How 'The Greatest' earned his name: Never-before-seen pictures show Muhammad Ali training and relaxing in 1974 ahead of The Rumble In The Jungle

In 1974 Muhammad Ali was training to reclaim his heavyweight boxing title from George Foreman. Peter Angelo Simon captured some of his preparation (pictured, Ali at his training camp in Pennsylvania among 'power boulders' bearing the names of boxing greats)

While millions of people the world over knew Ali the athlete, and his bombastic public persona, few glimpsed the sensitive, focused athlete behind the scenes (pictured, Ali relaxes at his Pennsylvania training camp, dubbed 'Fighter's Heaven')

Simon said he was 'astounded' by what he saw at the camp. In between rigorous training sessions in the gym and ring, Ali relaxed with guests inside a log cabin where they drank tea and listened to poetry 

Ali was also fond of magic tricks, Simon said, as well as joking around (left and right). He said the 'congenial' atmosphere of Ali's training camp was clearly meant to nourish his soul, as well as prepare his body

Simon spent two days with Ali, following him everywhere including on a visit to an old person's home (pictured) capturing 33 rolls of film. The athlete later told him that nobody had taken more pictures of him

Simon also accompanied Ali for his daily five-mile run, completed each morning at dawn (pictured), though he followed behind the boxer in a car, the hood of which can be seen bottom right

Ali was 32 at the time these pictures were taken, at his physical prime, and preparing to take on Foreman at The Rumble In The Jungle which he won by knockout in the eighth round

Ali's camp was located near Deer Lake, a tiny town of barely 700 residents in the west of Pennsylvania where he could train away from the prying eyes of the public and media, with the exception of Simon

Simon commented on Ali's intense training regime, but said it was the fighter's ability to enjoy himself even while under intense pressure that stayed with him (pictured, Ali makes his way to the ring before a bout)

Ali's supremely confident personality was well known, so it will perhaps come as little surprise to find the main mirror in his gym was surrounded by life-size cutouts of himself and covers from magazines

Two months after these images were taken Ali would knock George Foreman out in the eighth round of their bout in Kinshasa, dubbed The Rumble In The Jungle, widely regarded as one of the best sporting events of the 20th Century

Simon was invited to spend time with Ali in August 1974 as he was training to fight George Foreman and regain his heavyweight title, having previously been stripped of it for refusing to fight in Vietnam

Despite being under intense pressure, Simon said Ali liked to joke and stay relaxed during training, saying he was preparing his soul for the fight against Foreman as well as his body

Simon said that everything at Ali's training camp, complete with poetry readings, afternoon tea, magic tricks and physical sessions (left and right) 'was part of his imaginative formula for success'

Simon has released the never-before-seen images for a museum exhibition in London, as well as an upcoming book