Former heavyweight champion George Foreman gestures earlier than the heavyweight title unification boxing match between Ukraine’s Vladimir Klitschko and Britain’s David Haye in Hamburg July 2, 2011. — Reuters
Former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman, who reclaimed the heavyweight boxing title at age 45, breathed his final on Friday at age 76.
“With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved George Edward Foreman Sr who peacefully departed on March 21, 2025 surrounded by loved ones,” his household mentioned in an Instagram publish.
An intimidating, thunderous puncher who misplaced his first title to Muhammad Ali of their well-known “Rumble in the Jungle” in 1974, “Big George” was a extra rotund, jovial determine when he knocked out Michael Moorer for his second crown twenty years later.
Foreman’s comeback and the fortune he made promoting fat-wicking electrical cooking grills made him an icon of self-improvement and success for the Child Increase era.
Born in Marshall, Texas, on January 10, 1949, Foreman’s household quickly moved to Houston the place he and his six siblings had been raised by a single mom. Rising up poor within the segregated American South, Foreman dropped out of junior highschool and used his measurement and fists in road robberies.
“George’s journey from the streets of Fifth Ward to boxing and business success was an inspiration,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire mentioned in a press release.
“He never forgot where he came from […] Houston will forever be proud to call George Foreman one of our own.”
The Job Corps, a part of President Lyndon B Johnson’s “Great Society” reforms, “rescued me from the gutter,” Foreman later wrote. By the programme, 16-year-old Foreman moved out of Texas and was inspired to channel his rage and rising bulk into boxing.
At age 19 and in his twenty fifth novice battle, Foreman captured the heavyweight boxing gold medal on the 1968 Olympics in Mexico Metropolis. Turning professional, he received 37 straight matches on his approach to face reigning champion Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica, profitable by technical knockout in spherical two.
Foreman defended the belt twice extra earlier than assembly Ali in Kinshasa, Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in some of the celebrated boxing matches in historical past.
Ali had been stripped of his crown seven years prior for refusing to be drafted into the Vietnam Conflict and got here into the match a heavy underdog towards the larger, youthful champion. However for seven rounds, Ali laid towards the ropes and fended off Foreman’s clubbing blows, tiring him earlier than knocking him out within the eighth spherical.
“I was one strong heavyweight punching fighter,” Foreman informed Reuters in 2007. “I was one punching machine and that was the first time I delivered everything I had and nothing worked.”
The loss devastated Foreman. He took a 12 months off earlier than returning to the ring after which, after a second skilled loss, retired in 1977 to grow to be an ordained minister within the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
A decade later and significantly heavier at 315 kilos (143 kg), Foreman staged an unlikely return to the ring to boost cash for a youth centre he based in Texas.
He went on to win 24 straight matches, step by step slimming alongside the best way, earlier than dropping to Evander Holyfield in a 12-round resolution in 1991. Three years later, he knocked out undefeated southpaw Moorer to grow to be the oldest-ever heavyweight champion at age 45.
Foreman’s final match was in 1997, ending his profession with knowledgeable document of 76 wins and 5 losses.
Foreman was married 4 instances within the Seventies and Nineteen Eighties. In 1985, he married for the fifth time to Mary Joan Martelly, with whom he remained for the remainder of his life. He had 5 sons — all known as George — 5 organic daughters, and two adopted daughters.
All through the Nineties and after retirement, he was an enthusiastic pitchman for numerous merchandise, most notably an electrical grill from dwelling equipment maker Salton Inc. In 1999, the corporate paid Foreman and his companions $137.5 million to place his identify on the grill and different items.
“What I do is fall in love with every product I sell,” Foreman wrote in his autobiography, “By George.”
“That’s what sells. Just like with preaching.”
