George Foreman, the previous heavyweight boxing champion turned enterprise entrepreneur who was a part of a number of the sport’s most memorable matches and moments, died Friday on the age of 76, his household introduced.
“Our hearts are damaged. With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved George Edward Foreman Sr. who peacefully departed on March 21, 2025 surrounded by family members,” Foreman’s household introduced on Instagram.
“A religious preacher, a faithful husband, a loving father, and a proud grand and nice grandfather, he lived a life marked by unwavering religion, humility, and function,” his household continued within the publish.
No reason behind loss of life was given.
Paras Griffin
“George was a terrific pal to not solely myself however to my whole household. We have misplaced a member of the family and are completely devastated,” Prime Rank president Bob Arum stated in a statement.
Foreman was born in Marshall, Texas, however grew up in Houston’s Fifth Ward, and was raised alongside his six siblings by a single mom. Foreman was open about his troublesome childhood. He dropped out of college on the age of 15 and have become a “mugger and brawler.”
An Olympic gold medalist and two-time heavyweight champion, Foreman competed between 1967 and 1997. He discovered to field at age 16, gained Olympic gold at 19. 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!”
AP Picture
In 1974, he tried to defend his title in Zaire in some of the well-known fights in historical past. The “Rumble within the Jungle,” in opposition to Muhammad Ali.
Foreman described the combat to CBS Mornings in 2016 as a “unusual” expertise.
“I believed I would knock him out in a single or two rounds, however in regards to the third spherical, I would hit him, and he fell on me. I believed, ‘That is it.’ And he began screaming, ‘That every one you bought, George?! Present me one thing!’ And I knew then I used to be within the unsuitable place on the unsuitable time,” he stated on the time.
Foreman stated he and Ali, who died in 2016, grew to become lifelong buddies after the combat.
Ed Kolenovsky / AP
Exhausted and disillusioned, Foreman stopped preventing in 1977 and largely spent the subsequent decade as a preacher after his spiritual awakening. He returned to boxing in 1987 in his late 30s, and he racked up a prolonged sequence of victories earlier than shedding to Evander Holyfield in a title combat in 1991.
In 1994, greater than 20 years after he beat Frazier for the title, Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer and have become the oldest world champion in boxing historical past at 45 years previous.
Foreman give up the ring for good in 1997, though he often 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. A biographical film primarily based 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 very best pal you possibly can have,” WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman wrote on social media. “His reminiscence is now everlasting, might Huge George relaxation in peace.”