Born in Marshall Texas on January 10, 1949, Foreman was raised in Houston. He was a self-described troubled youth, dropping out of school at the age of 15. His turnaround started when he saw an ad for the Job Corps at 16. He earned his GED and several job skills in the Job Corps.
In 1968 George won a gold medal at the Mexico City Olympic Games. He beat the Soviet Union’s Jonas Cepulis by a referee stoppage. Foreman had beaten Cepulis bloody in the first round and forced a standing eight count in the second before the ref stopped the fight.
Foreman later said earning the Gold was the achievement he was most proud of in his boxing career.
George turned pro following the Olympics in 1969. He went undefeated in the first three years of his career, amassing a record of 32-0 with 29 knockouts.
In 1972, still undefeated and the #1 ranked contender in both the WBC and the WBA, two of the major sanctioning bodies, George squared off against undefeated and undisputed World Heavyweight Champion Joe Frazier. Before the fight, Frazier was 29–0 (25 KO) and Foreman was 37–0 (34 KO).
Frazier was knocked down six times by Foreman within two rounds (the three-knockdown rule was not in effect for this bout). In ABC’s rebroadcast, Howard Cosell made the memorable call, “Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!”
After the second knockdown, Frazier’s balance and mobility were impaired to the extent that he was unable to evade Foreman’s combinations. Frazier managed to get to his feet for all six knockdowns, but referee Arthur Mercante eventually called an end to the one-sided bout.
Foreman would take his first loss in Kinshasa Zaire in 1974 against Muhammad Ali.The Rumble in the Jungle was one of the most anticipated fights ever and it did not disappoint. Ali rope-a-doped his way to a victory and putting Big George on the canvas for the first time.
George first retired in 1979 after a health scare after a fight in Puerto Rico. After this experience, Foreman became a born-again Christian, dedicating his life for the next decade to God. Foreman stopped fighting and became an ordained minister, initially preaching on street corners before becoming the minister of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Houston
In 1987, after 10 years away from the ring, Foreman surprised the boxing world by announcing a comeback at the age of 38. After fighting a series of tomato cans, Foreman had a series of title shots. He fought – and lost to – Evander Holyfield, Alex Stewart and Tommy Morrison.
In 1994, George faced Michael Moorer for the IBF and WBA titles. Foreman was not ranked at the time, but his name recognition got the fight scheduled. Through the first 9 rounds, Moorer out-boxed Foreman. In the 10th however, George tagged Moorer with a short right to the chin and put out his lights. At age 45 George Foreman was World Champion again.
George only had a couple of title defenses. He wound up being stripped of his titles because of scheduling.
It was during this second run that George partnered with Salton on the George Foreman Grill.
He made more from the partnership with Salton than he did in his boxing career.
George Foreman died at age 76 surrounded by his family.
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