Foreman exchanging punches with Muhammad Ali in their famous Rumble in the Jungle fight
George Foreman, the boxing heavyweight legend, has died aged 76, his family said.
Known as Big George in the ring, the American competed for decades starting in the 1960s, winning gold at the Olympics and numerous title belts, including the world heavyweight title twice.
Bettmann via Getty Images
Born George Edward Foreman on 10 January 1949 in Marshall, Texas, his amateur boxing career peaked at the 1968 Olympic games in Mexico City, where he won a gold medal and famously waved a small US flag after his win.
In his autobiography, he said he was waving the flag “as much for myself as for the country”.
“I was letting everyone know who I was and at the same time saying that I was proud to be an American.”
Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
After turning professional in 1969, he quickly rose up the ranks. By 1972, he had a winning streak of 37 fights – 35 of which were knockouts. His first shot at the world heavyweight championship came in 1973, when he knocked out the then-undefeated world champion, Joe Frazier.
Bettmann via Getty Images
Foreman won the title at the age of 24, and successfully defended it twice.
Bettmann via Getty Images
Foreman then lost his heavyweight title to Muhammad Ali in their famous 1974 Rumble in the Jungle fight. To wear out Foreman, Ali spent eight rounds leaning back on the ropes, a tactic he called “rope-a-dope”.
He once called the loss the “most embarrassing moment” of his life.
“I just couldn’t believe I’d lost the world title”, he said, adding: “It went from pride to pity. That’s devastating.
His opponent, Foreman said, was “the toughest human being I ever had an encounter with”.
Michael Brennan/Getty Images
A big change came in 1977: shortly after losing a fight to American boxer Jimmy Young, Foreman gave up boxing and turned to religion, becoming an ordained minister in 1978. He later founded the George Foreman Youth and Community Center and the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He told the BBC his defeat to Ali became the “best thing that ever happened to me” as it ultimately led him to “get my message out” through preaching.
Carlos Schiebeck/AFP via Getty Images
After nearly ten years away from boxing, Foreman decided to pick the gloves back up in 1987 and return to the ring to raise funds for his youth centre. During his successful return to the sport, he won 24 matches before losing to Evander Holyfield after 12 rounds in 1991.
Cathrin Mueller/Bongarts/Getty Images
In 1994, he took a jab at a new venture, becoming the face of the George Foreman Grill – also known as the “Lean Mean Grilling Machine”. Over in the boxing ring, he also became the oldest heavyweight champion aged 45 that same year. He retired from boxing three years later, in 1997, amassing a stunning record of 76 wins and 5 losses.
Michael Brennan/Getty Images
Foreman had 12 children – including five sons who are all also named George. He is pictured here with his son George III. He once explained that he named them after himself so they “they would always have something in common”. He continued his work in the church until his death, preaching at his ministry four times a week, according to his website.
At least 30 Palestinians have been killed, including 13 children, after Israel bombed a building housing displaced people in the Jabalia refugee camp, as the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warned of “famine” in northern Gaza” after more than a month of bombardment and military siege. The bombing…
EXPLAINER An Israeli attack killed 20 waiting on aid in Gaza, heavy fighting is under way at the enclave’s hospitals. Here’s how things stand on Friday, January 26, 2024: Latest updates The International Court of Justice will deliver its response to South Africa’s request for emergency measures to protect Palestinians…
Staff at Australia’s national broadcaster warned that its coverage of the war in Gaza relied too much on Israeli sources and used language that “favoured the Israeli narrative over objective reporting”, internal communications reveal, shedding new light on bias claims that convulsed the outlet. In a summary of a meeting…
A hitman offered C$100,000 ($71,400; £56,000) for the assassination of a crime reporter at Montreal newspaper La Presse, the outlet has reported. Convicted killer Frédérick Silva confessed to La Presse that he had offered the contract to anyone willing to carry out the hit on Daniel Renaud, who was covering…
African leaders must recognise the enormous potentials of the continent’s informal workers and begin to integrate them better into their city-building visions and strategies. Credit: Suleiman Mbatiah/IPS Opinion Thursday, August 18, 2022 Inter Press Service Aug 18 (IPS) – African leaders are increasingly aspiring to “modernise” their cities. That is…
North Korea’s state media says Russian leader’s visit is a historic event and shows the ‘invincibility’ of the two countries ties. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un aim to further deepen ties between their nuclear-armed countries as the two men began talks soon after Putin…
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Bettmann via Getty Images
Bettmann via Getty Images
Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Bettmann via Getty Images
Bettmann via Getty Images
Michael Brennan/Getty Images
Carlos Schiebeck/AFP via Getty Images
Cathrin Mueller/Bongarts/Getty Images
Michael Brennan/Getty Images
