the rumble in the jungle

Internet chatter was the first clue.
Something has happened.
Early this month the Christian apologist David Wood engaged in a debate with a Muslim proseletyser called Mohammed Hijab at the York Centre for the Performing Arts in Queens New York.
The theme for discussion, Trinity Or Tawheed, allowed each participant to present their respective views on the nature of the God they say they believe in.
David Wood is something of a champion in debating circles.
In my assessment he is also the most erudite and insightful commentator in the West speaking about Islam today.
I don't endorse some of Mr Wood's friends.
But he himself is about the best there is when it comes to critical thinking, principled commentary and challenging discourse.
David Wood's name is known all over the world.
He is a figure of opprobrium for some Muslims who fear he is leading Muslims to leave their faith.
Mohammed Hijab entered the debate a comparative unknown.
He had nothing to lose.
The analogy with Rocky movies begs attention,
Not Rocky One.
Rocky Three.
In this scenario, David Wood is already a champion and something of a legend.
Mohammed Hijab is Clubber Lang.
He's a challenger.
But he's harder and meaner than most of the other challengers Mr Wood has debated for years.
And he wants it more.
The encounter between David Wood and Mohammed Hijab produced an immediate flurry of discussion, vitriol, humour, opinion, analysis and dissent on internet websites.
This is how I first heard of the thing.
Through internet chatter.
The ripple effect.
Very quickly I realised a real event had taken place.
Perhaps even something phenomenal.
Footage shows Mohammed Hijab dismissing David Wood as "boy" and repeatedly insulting him with personalised attacks.
To continue the boxing analagy, the Queensberry rules have been laid to one side.
The referees are at best indifferent, at worst complicit.
Mr Wood is in the lion's den, and for those viewers impressed by rudeness, he appears at times to be getting a mauling.
I think Mohammed Hijab may have scored a couple of knock downs even if some of his best hits were through calculated insult and inuendo rather than through intellectual argument.
He was a bit like the old real life boxer Chuck Wepner who once told reporters: "My three best punches are the rabbit punch, a choke hold, and a head butt."
The choke hold and the head butt aren't punches at all while the rabbit punch is an illegal chop to the back of the neck.
Mohammed Hijab's three best debating points were: Calling David Wood "boy;" Repeatedly telling David Wood "don't embarrass yourself;" And bursting into an impromptu sung recital of suras from the Quran when he was supposed to be rebutting David Wood's arguments.
Incidentally he sang rather well.
But who actually won the debate between David Wood and Mohammed Hijab?
Mohammed Hijab justified his hostility to David Wood by claiming David Wood has been disrespectful to Islam  (which he has.) and that David Wood's lectures have caused persecution of Muslims (which they haven't.)
The real reason for Mohammed Hijab's hostility to David Wood is that Muslims of all age groups, men and women, all over the world who have questions about Islam are listening to David Wood's analyses and finding answers that ring true to them.
That is the sole reason for Mohammed Hijab's calculated rudeness to David Wood over a two hour debate.
But who won?
The constant internet post mortems have continued now for more than a week.
Certainly the clash has made the reputation of Mohammed Hijab.
I think if there was any victory for David Wood it was to bring Mohammed Hijab to the table so that Muslims and non Muslims can compare the ideas offered by the two at close quarters.
David Wood's pals are attempting to relitigate the thing through copious after match commentaries.
It is as though their unbeatable champion suddenly looks beatable.
Yes, something has definitely happened here.
The ripples are still flowing outward from the epicentre of the original clash even as we speak.
There has been an earthquake.
I would proffer another analogy.
The leading Christian apologist of another era CS Lewis in debate with Elizabeth Anscombe at Oxford in 1948.
Elizabeth Anscombe is said to have shaken CS Lewis to the core of his faith.
Some who saw the debate argued that the already famous CS Lewis was beaten badly.
Some say he actually won.
When it was over CS Lewis remained on positive terms with Elizabeth Anscombe.
And afterwards he went on to write some of the finest books in the English language.