Trump on death of 'great fighter' George Foreman: 'He will be missed'

President Trump took to social media Saturday morning to offer his condolences to the family of former boxing champion George Foreman, who died Friday at the age of 76.

"George Foreman is dead. What a GREAT FIGHTER!!!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. "He had, without question, the heaviest and biggest punch in the history of boxing."

"With the exception of [Muhammad] Ali, when you got hit, you went down. He was something really Special, but above all, he was a Great Person, with a personality that was bigger than life," he continued. "I knew him well, and he will be missed. Warmest condolences to his wonderful family!!!"

His remarks come a day after Foreman's family announced his death in a post on Instagram.

"Our hearts are broken. 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," they wrote. "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."

"A humanitarian, an Olympian, and two-time heavyweight champion of the world, He was deeply respected — a force for good, a man of discipline, conviction, and a protector of his legacy, fighting tirelessly to preserve his good name — for his family," they added.

Foreman's professional boxing career, known for breaking several records and various tournament wins, began in 1969 in New York City. His big debut, however, came at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, when he won a gold medal after defeating Soviet Union boxer Jonas Čepulis.

Overall, he won three heavy-weight championship world titles and won 76 of 81 of his professional boxing matches.

Outside of boxing, he was best known as the face of the infamous George Foreman Grill, which launched in 1994. He is survived by wife Mary Joan Martelly, his 12 children and many grandchildren.

Foreman, a vocal supporter of Trump, commended the real estate mogul early into his first term in office for not standing down to political foes.

“You know, when you’re into something like this, you just gotta fight,” he said during an interview with Fox News in 2017. "You can't even worry about the audience."

“When I’m in those boxing matches, I hear, ‘Boo, boo, boo,’ after the fight, when I listen to them on the tape. But in the ring, you don’t listen to anything," he added, suggesting Trump was taking a page out of his playbook when dealing with critics. "You must step forward and fight."

The president's tribute comes as he is set to attend a NCAA wrestling match on Saturday.

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