George Foreman, the fearsome heavyweight who misplaced the “Rumble in the Jungle” to Muhammad Ali earlier than his inspiring second act as a 45-year-old champion and a profitable businessman, died Friday night time. He was 76.
Foreman’s household introduced his loss of life on social media, not saying how or the place he died.
“A devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand- and great-grandfather, he lived a life marked by unwavering faith, humility and purpose,” his household wrote. “A humanitarian, an Olympian and two-time heavyweight champion of the world, he was deeply respected. A force for good, a man of discipline, conviction, and a protector of his legacy, fighting tirelessly to preserve his good name— for his family.”
A local Texan, Foreman started his boxing profession as an Olympic gold medalist who impressed worry as he climbed to the height of the heavyweight division by stopping Joe Frazier in 1973. His formidable aura evaporated solely a 12 months later when Ali pulled off probably the most audacious victories in boxing historical past in Zaire, baiting and taunting Foreman into shedding his belt in one of many best fights ever staged.
Foreman left the game a number of years later, however returned after a 10-year absence and a self-described non secular awakening.
The 45-year-old then pulled off probably the most spectacular knockouts in boxing historical past in 1994, flooring Michael Moorer — 19 years his junior — with one excellent mixture to assert Moorer’s two heavyweight belts.
Foreman’s transformation into an inspirational determine was full, and he fought solely 4 extra occasions earlier than shifting onto his subsequent profession as a genial businessman, pitchman and occasional actor.
He was greatest often known as the face of the George Foreman Grill, which launched in the identical 12 months as his victory over Moorer. The easy cooking machine bought greater than 100 million models and made him a lot wealthier than his sport ever did.
“George was a great friend to not only myself, but to my entire family,” Prime Rank president Bob Arum mentioned. “We’ve lost a family member and are absolutely devastated.”
Within the first chapter of his boxing profession, Foreman was nothing just like the smiling grandfather who hawked his grills on tv to nice success.
Foreman dabbled in petty crime whereas rising up in Houston’s Fifth Ward, however modified his life by way of boxing. He made the U.S. Olympic workforce in 1968 and gained gold in Mexico Metropolis as a young person, stopping a 29-year-old opponent in a star-making efficiency.
Foreman rose to the top of the professional sport over the following 5 years, however was additionally perceived as an aloof, unfriendly athlete, each by way of his demeanor and thru the skewed racial lenses of the time. He stopped Frazier in an upset in Jamaica in January 1973 to win the belt, along with his knockout inspiring Howard Cosell’s iconic name: “Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!”
Foreman defended his belt towards Ken Norton earlier than accepting the struggle with Ali within the now-immortal bout staged in Africa by promoter Don King. Ali placed on a tactical masterclass towards Foreman, displaying off the “rope-a-dope” technique that pissed off and infuriated the champion. Foreman was finally knocked down for the primary time in his profession, and the struggle was stopped within the eighth spherical.
Foreman informed the BBC in 2014 that he took the struggle virtually out of charity to Ali, who he suspected to be broke.
“I said I was going to go out there and kill him, and people said, ‘Please, don’t say you’re going to kill Muhammad,’” Foreman mentioned. “So I said, ‘OK, I’ll just beat him down to the ground.’ That’s how easy I thought the fight would be.”
Exhausted and disillusioned, Foreman stopped combating in 1977 and largely spent the following decade preaching and dealing with children in Houston after his non secular awakening. He returned to boxing in 1987 in his late 30s with a plan to defy time by way of frequent ring appearances, and he racked up a prolonged collection of victories earlier than shedding to Evander Holyfield in a surprisingly aggressive title struggle in 1991.
Three years later, Foreman acquired within the ring with Moorer in Las Vegas, extra for his movie star than for his perceived means to beat Moorer. The champion appeared to win the primary 9 rounds somewhat comfortably, with Foreman unable to land his slower punches. However Foreman got here alive within the tenth, hurting Moorer earlier than slipping within the brief proper hand that despatched Moorer to the canvas in spectacular style.
Foreman give up the ring for good in 1997, though he sometimes mentioned a comeback. He settled right into a life as a boxing analyst for HBO and as a pitchman for the grills that grew his fame and fortune. He briefly starred in a sitcom referred to as “George” within the Nineties, and he even appeared on the fact singing competitors “The Masked Singer” in 2022. A biographical film based mostly on his life was launched in 2023.
Foreman had 12 kids, together with 5 sons who’re all famously named George Edward Foreman.
“Legendary boxing champion, life-changing preacher, husband, father, grand- and great-grandfather and the best friend you could have,” WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman wrote on social media. “His memory is now eternal, may Big George rest in peace.”
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