The Boxing world has been thrown into mourning after legend and two-time heavyweight champion George Foreman passed away at the age of 76, as revealed in an announcement by his family.
“Our hearts are broken. 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,” Foreman’s family said in a statement on Friday night.
“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.”
His family added: “We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers, and kindly ask for privacy as we honor the extraordinary life of a man we were blessed to call our own.”
Fondly called “Big George”, Foreman was born in Marshall, Texas, on 10 January 1949 and was raised along with six siblings by a single mother. He dropped out of school and turned to street robberies before eventually finding his way in the ring.
Foreman burst onto the scene after winning gold at the 1968 Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City, Mexico. He soon turned professional shortly after the Games.
In 1973, Foreman knocked out then undefeated heavyweight champion Joe Frazier after two rounds in Kingston, Jamaica to secure his first title just years into his professional career.
After successfully defending his title twice, the unbeaten Foreman faced Muhammad Ali in 1974 in one of the most memorable boxing matches ever, tagged “The Rumble In The Jungle” in Zaire, present-day Democratic Republic of Congo.
The older Ali used a tactic that later became known as “rope-a-dope” which wore out Foreman, causing him to throw out hundreds of punches before Ali capitalized and scored a shock eight-round technical knockout win.
After a second professional loss, Foreman retired in 1977 and became an ordained minister at the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Texas, which he founded and built.
After a 10-year hiatus from the sport, Foreman announced his comeback at nearly 40 years old in 1987. He won 24 fights before losing to Evander Holyfield after 12 rounds in 1991.
In 1994, Foreman knocked out undefeated Michael Moorer to become the oldest ever heavyweight champion at the age of 45. Foreman finally called time on his career in 1997, with a record of 76 wins and 5 defeats (including 68 knockouts).
He became ad pitchman for his George Foreman Grill, which millions have purchased since it hit the market in 1994, thanks in part to his memorable catchphrase, the “Lean Mean Grilling Machine”.
Foreman was married five times and had 12 children, including five sons who are all named George. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.