Legendary boxer George Foreman has passed away at the age of 76. He was a two-time World Heavyweight Champion, an Olympic gold medalist, as well as an entrepreneur and preacher
Boxing legend, George Foreman
Legendary boxer George Foreman has passed away at the age of 76. He was a two-time World Heavyweight Champion, an Olympic gold medalist, as well as an entrepreneur and preacher.
Foreman's most memorable fight was the 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle,” in which he lost the world championship belt to Muhammad Ali in the Congo. Ali famously used the ring ropes to evade the physically larger Foreman, ultimately shocking the world with an 8th-round TKO victory. Years later, the two men became very close. When Ali died in 2016, George said, “I lost my best friend.”
In 1977, Foreman retired and became an ordained minister shortly after hanging up his gloves. He dedicated his life to God and preached at a church in the Houston area.
After a 10-year hiatus from the sport, Foreman announced his comeback at nearly 40 years old in 1988. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.
Foreman is survived by 12 children. His family also highlighted his personal accomplishments outside of the ring. “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 family wrote in a statement.
They continued: “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.”
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