George Foreman, the legendary two-time world heavyweight boxing champion and successful entrepreneur, has passed away at the age of 76.
His family announced that he died peacefully on March 21, 2025, surrounded by loved ones.
“With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved George Edward Foreman Sr., who peacefully departed on March 21, 2025, surrounded by loved ones,” his family said in a statement posted on the boxer’s official Instagram page.
“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.”
Meteoric Rise to Boxing Greatness
Born in 1949 in Houston, Texas, Foreman overcame a challenging upbringing, finding direction through the Job Corps program, where he discovered boxing.
“At 13 years old, George was about 6-foot-2, 200 pounds and the terrorist in the neighbourhood,” his younger brother Roy told the BBC in 2024.
“And when you’re bigger and stronger and think you’re better than everyone else, you take things.”
Foreman’s athletic prowess became evident when he won a gold medal at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.
At 19, he bulldozed his way to the super-heavyweight gold, waving an American flag in the ring just days after Tommie Smith and John Carlos made their historic Black Power salute.
Standing at 6-foot-4 (1.93m) and known as ‘Big George,’ he was an imposing figure in the heavyweight division.
His devastating power and agility saw him rise quickly through the professional ranks. In 1973, he captured the heavyweight title by annihilating Joe Frazier in just two rounds.
“Rumble in the Jungle”
By the time Foreman defended his title against Muhammad Ali in October 1974 in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), he was an unbeaten force with a 40-0 record.
Ali’s infamous ‘rope-a-dope’ strategy wore him down, and Foreman, exhausted, succumbed in the eighth round.
“I just couldn’t believe I’d lost the world title,” he later admitted.
“It was the most embarrassing moment of my life. It went from pride to pity. That’s devastating.”
Ali, the three-time heavyweight champion died earlier in 2016 at 74.
Spiritual Awakening and Return to the Ring
After a points loss to Jimmy Young in 1977, Foreman fell ill and experienced what he described as a divine revelation.
Convinced he had a higher calling, he retired at 28 and became an ordained minister.
A decade later, needing funds for his youth centre, Foreman announced an unlikely comeback.
Bald and heavier, he was dismissed as a sideshow, but he proved his critics wrong.
Over the next three years, he fought 21 times, mostly against lesser opponents, winning every bout—20 by knockout.
Historic Second Championship at 45
In 1991, Foreman challenged Evander Holyfield for the heavyweight title but lost on points.
Two years later, he suffered another decision loss to Tommy Morrison.
However, in November 1994, wearing the same shorts he had donned 20 years earlier against Ali, Foreman shocked the world.
Trailing badly, he knocked out Michael Moorer in the 10th round to reclaim the heavyweight championship at 45 years and 299 days old—making him the oldest heavyweight champion in history.
Though he was later stripped of his WBA and IBF titles for refusing to fight mandatory challengers, he remained the ‘lineal’ world champion.
He continued fighting until 1997, losing his final bout to Shannon Briggs at 48. Foreman retired with an astonishing 76-5 record, including 68 knockouts.
Life Beyond Boxing
Foreman successfully transitioned from sports icon to entrepreneur, most famously as the face of the George Foreman Grill, which sold over 100 million units worldwide.
His charm and affability in advertisements turned him into a household name beyond boxing.
A devoted preacher, he hosted the 1996 TV program Bad Dads, emphasizing the importance of fatherhood.
He was married four times and had 12 children.
His five sons were all named George Edward Foreman, a decision he explained as, “If one of us goes up, then we all go up together, and if one goes down, we all go down together!”
Legacy Cemented in Boxing History
Foreman’s impact on boxing and beyond remains indelible.
A two-time heavyweight champion, an Olympic gold medalist, a minister, an entrepreneur, and a loving family man—his life was one of triumph, redemption, and reinvention.
As the world mourns his passing, his legacy as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time remains firmly intact.