George Foreman (Photo credit: Wallpaper)
From Raging Fighter to Gentle Giant of Faith and Fortune
George Foreman, the two-time heavyweight boxing champion, Olympic gold medalist, ordained minister, best-selling author, and unlikely grill mogul, died Thursday, March 21, 2025. He was 76.
His death was confirmed by his family, who said Foreman died at his Houston home from complications related to heart failure. The towering figure, known for his thunderous punches in the ring and magnetic presence outside of it, leaves behind an indelible legacy that stretches far beyond the ropes of boxing.
Born on January 10, 1949, in Marshall, Texas, George Edward Foreman was raised in the rough Fifth Ward of Houston, where poverty, violence, and despair were common threads in the fabric of daily life. His mother, Nancy Foreman, struggled to raise seven children, and George’s early years were marked by turmoil. A self-described troubled youth, Foreman often walked the streets angry and confused, unaware of the emotional undercurrents that shaped his volatile temperament.
“I was always mad,” Foreman once recalled. “I didn’t know why. I was just mad at the world.”
By his teenage years, he had dropped out of school, joined a street gang, and spent much of his time fighting and hustling. It was a government job training program—Lyndon B. Johnson’s Job Corps—that would redirect the course of his life. Through the program, Foreman moved to California, where he met boxing coach Doc Broadus. Recognizing the young man’s raw talent and need for structure, Broadus encouraged him to channel his aggression into boxing.
Foreman quickly rose through the amateur ranks and, at just 19 years old, he represented the United States in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. There, he captured the gold medal in dominant fashion, famously waving a small American flag after his victory—a moment that would become iconic.
His Olympic success catapulted him into the professional ranks, and within five years, Foreman would reach the pinnacle of the sport. In 1973, in a shocking display of power and speed, he defeated the undefeated heavyweight champion Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica. Foreman knocked Frazier down six times in just two rounds, seizing the world heavyweight title and stamping his name into boxing history.
At the time, George Foreman was seen as an unstoppable force—young, fierce, and feared. But the tide would turn in 1974, in what remains one of the most legendary bouts in boxing: the “Rumble in the Jungle.” Facing Muhammad Ali in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), Foreman was heavily favored. Ali, however, employed his now-famous “rope-a-dope” strategy, allowing Foreman to tire himself out by throwing heavy punches early in the fight. By the eighth round, a fatigued Foreman succumbed to Ali’s precise counterpunch and was knocked out. It was Foreman’s first professional loss and a moment that would forever define their careers.
The loss to Ali stunned Foreman and sent him into a period of introspection. The two men’s relationship, once cold and competitive, eventually warmed. Foreman later said he grew to admire Ali, not just as a fighter but as a man of conviction. They remained friends until Ali’s death in 2016.
Foreman continued to fight through the late 1970s, even challenging for the title again in 1977. But in 1977, after a bout with Jimmy Young in Puerto Rico that ended in defeat, Foreman experienced a life-altering spiritual awakening. Collapsing in his dressing room after the fight, Foreman later said he had a near-death experience where he felt the presence of God. That moment led him to retire from boxing and dedicate his life to ministry.
“I had all the money in the world,” Foreman would later say. “But I didn’t have peace.”
In 1978, he was ordained as a Christian minister and began preaching at the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Houston, later opening the George Foreman Youth and Community Center to support at-risk youth. For nearly a decade, he stayed away from boxing, focusing on faith, family, and community service.
But in 1987, at age 38, and facing financial trouble after losing much of his fortune to failed investments, Foreman made a miraculous return to boxing. Though initially viewed as a publicity stunt, Foreman’s comeback was real—and historic.
He won fight after fight, defying critics and Father Time alike. Then, in 1994, at the astonishing age of 45, George Foreman reclaimed the heavyweight title by knocking out Michael Moorer. The victory made him the oldest man to win a world heavyweight championship—a record that still stands. The image of a paunchy, smiling Foreman with his arms raised was a stark contrast to the menacing figure from the 1970s. It was a full-circle moment, symbolic of transformation and redemption.
In recognition of his extraordinary career and contributions to the sport, Foreman was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003. The honor cemented his place among boxing’s greatest legends, acknowledging not only his two heavyweight championships but also his unprecedented comeback and influence on generations of fighters.
Foreman’s punching power was the stuff of legend. Fellow boxer George Chuvalo once remarked, “When George Foreman hits you, it’s like a Mack Truck hitting you at 40 miles an hour.”
In his 1994 bout against Michael Moorer, Foreman’s strength was on full display. Despite being behind on all scorecards, he delivered a devastating right hand in the tenth round, knocking Moorer out cold and reclaiming the heavyweight title. This knockout is often cited as one of the most shocking in boxing history.
Foreman often spoke about his physical resilience, once stating, “This is the hardest hitter I’ve ever been in the ring with. You fight—say, I’ve had about sixty or more boxing matches, and you only meet three genuine punchers throughout your career.” citeturn0search11
Off the canvas, Foreman became a household name for an entirely different reason: the George Foreman Grill. Launched in 1994, the lean-mean-fat-reducing grilling machine became a cultural phenomenon. Foreman’s affable personality and booming smile made him the perfect pitchman. The grill sold over 100 million units and made Foreman a multi-millionaire once again.
His business success didn’t stop there. He wrote several books, including autobiographies and devotionals such as By George, Knockout Entrepreneur, and God in My Corner, sharing lessons on life, faith, and resilience. His story inspired countless Americans, particularly within the Black community, who saw in Foreman the journey from pain to purpose.
In 2023, his life was brought to the big screen in the biographical film Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World, directed by George Tillman Jr. and starring Khris Davis in the title role. The movie offered a dramatized but faithful look at the man behind the fists and the faith that saved him. The film highlighted not only his boxing legacy but also his deeply personal journey—one marked by redemption, loss, and spiritual awakening.
Foreman’s family life was also the subject of much public interest. He was married five times and had 12 children, including five sons—all named George: George Jr., George III (“Monk”), George IV (“Big Wheel”), George V (“Red”), and George VI (“Little Joey”). He famously said, “I named all my sons George so they’d always have something in common.”
He also had seven daughters, including Freeda Foreman, who followed in her father’s footsteps to briefly enter the boxing ring. Freeda had a promising start with a professional record of 5-1 before retiring from the sport to focus on other passions, including advocacy and family. Tragically, she died in 2019 at the age of 42. Her death was ruled a suicide, and it left a permanent mark on Foreman, who often shared how his faith helped carry him through one of the darkest chapters of his life.
In total, George Foreman had 81 professional fights, finishing with a record of 76 wins (68 by knockout) and only 5 losses. That kind of dominance—particularly with such a high knockout percentage—cemented his reputation as one of the most powerful punchers in boxing history. He once joked that his fists were built like jackhammers, and many who faced him in the ring wouldn’t disagree.
In interviews later in life, Foreman was characteristically candid about his physical gifts, saying, “I was built for boxing. I had a hard head, stronger than Ali’s or anyone else’s. That’s why I could take so many punches and keep coming.” He also claimed he hit Michael Moorer so hard during their 1994 fight that “his feet left the canvas—twice.” While some of these comments were made with Foreman’s trademark humor, sportswriters and boxing analysts consistently marveled at the sheer brute force he could deliver with a single punch.
Despite his intimidating presence in the ring, Foreman in his later years was known more for his kindness, generosity, and deep spirituality. He mentored young fighters, advocated for youth in underserved communities, and preached sermons that emphasized forgiveness and the power of second chances.
George Foreman is survived by his wife Mary Joan, his children, grandchildren, and a sprawling fan base that spans generations. His journey from an angry youth in Houston’s toughest streets to one of the most respected and beloved athletes in history is a true American story of redemption.
His fists built his fame, but it was his heart, faith, and humility that ultimately defined him.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
