George Foreman, heavyweight boxing champion who fought Muhammad Ali in the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’
George Foreman, the former world heavyweight champion who has died at the age of 76, looked destined for some 20 years to be remembered for the manner of his shocking 1974 defeat to the then 32-year-old Muhammad Ali.
A fearsome puncher, exuding menace from every pore, the 6ft 4in Texan’s apparent shield of invincibility was destroyed by Ali’s astonishing eighth-round triumph in Zaire in the immortal “The Rumble In The Jungle”.
Yet two decades later, at the age of 45, a heavier and slower Foreman proved the old adage that the last thing a fighter loses is his punch by knocking out Michael Moorer – a fighter 18 years his junior – to regain the World Boxing Association portion of the title he had lost to Ali all those years before.
Foreman had two careers – and a radically different persona in each. His younger version resembled a ruthless Sonny Liston-type monster, blasting his way through the heavyweight division in much the same way as a youthful Mike Tyson would do a decade and a half later.
Yet, in an unlikely transition, the Foreman who returned to boxing in 1987 following a 10-year lay-off was a bald, genial tubby grandfather who delighted in his nickname of “The Punchin’ Preacher”.
Amiable and wise-cracking, the Foreman who re-emerged following a decade preaching the Gospel was the antithesis of his young self; what remained, as Moorer and other opponents discovered to their cost, was the lethal punching power which again would take Foreman back to the peak of his profession.
“I still have a good punch,” he told sceptics. “If you blink, you’ll wake up on the dressing room floor.”
Born in Marshall, Texas, on January 10 1949, George Foreman was a troubled youth who found some direction in boxing. At the age of 19 he slugged his way to a heavyweight gold medal at the Mexico Olympics, waving a miniature Stars and Stripes as he stood on the podium.
As these were the Games of the Black Power salute of Tommie Smith and John Carlos, Foreman’s innocent act of patriotism drew contempt in some quarters.
A year later he launched his pro career with a second-round knockout of Vernon Clay in Houston. Over the next four years he cut a swathe through the heavyweight ranks before capturing the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council belts by hammering the previously unbeaten Joe Frazier to defeat inside two brutal rounds at Kingston, Jamaica, on January 22 1973 – one punch seemingly lifting the stricken champion off his feet.
Foreman, however, later revealed he had been fighting scared. “I didn’t want Joe to look down because if he had he’d have seen my knees shakin’,” he recalled.
Foreman appeared – both literally and metaphorically – head and shoulders above his opponents, even if financial wrangles prevented him from fighting in his native land. Puerto Rican Jose Roman was dispatched inside a round at Tokyo, before fellow American Ken Norton – who had broken Ali’s jaw the previous year – was bludgeoned to second-round defeat in Venezuela.
Then came Zaire, where – on October 30 1974 before 60,000 fans at Kinshasa, Foreman lost his title as well as his mantle of invincibility when Ali knocked him out in the eighth round, after famously allowing the heavily-backed champion to punch himself out.
Foreman subsequently admitted he had expected to knock out the challenger with ease. “What I remember most was I went out and hit Muhammad with the hardest shot to the body I’ve ever delivered to any opponent,” he remembered.
“Anybody else in the world would have crumbled. Muhammad cringed; I could see it hurt. And then he looked at me; he had that look in his eyes, like he was saying I’m not gonna let you hurt me.”
Defeat hit Foreman hard. He was out of the ring for 15 months and his comeback fight against Ron Lyle in Las Vegas proved a wild affair which saw both men floored twice before Foreman triumphed in the fifth.
Five months later he halted a fading Frazier in the fifth round in New York and, following a string of low-key triumphs, met fellow contender Jimmy Young in a title eliminator in Puerto Rico
In another thrilling encounter, Foreman was knocked down in the twelfth round before being outpointed. While lying in the dressing room afterwards, Foreman claimed to have received a visitation from God. He subsequently announced his retirement, severed all his connections with boxing and took up preaching, spreading the Gospel on the streets.
Little was heard of Foreman for a decade and when he did finally return – knocking out Steve Zouski at Sacramento on March 9 1977 – it was said he simply wished to raise church funds.
Instead, one of the most astonishing comebacks in the annals of sport materialised. Having strung together 19 victories, Foreman was matched against Gerry Cooney, a recycled white hope, in Atlantic City on January 15 1990. His spectacular second-round knockout victory again established the genial Texan as a legitimate title contender.
On April 19 1991, Foreman took on world champion Evander Holyfield at Atlantic City, only to lose valiantly on points. “I proved forty isn’t a death sentence,” he said.
Foreman still was not finished, following three more victories he took on Tommy Morrison for the vacant World Boxing Organisation crown. Having been outboxed, he was widely expected to retire. Instead, he landed a shot against Moorer, the World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation title-holder.
On November 22 1994, a disbelieving Las Vegas crowd watched Foreman – wearing the same red trunks he had worn against Ali in “The Rumble In The Jungle” 20 years earlier – reach back in time to knock Moorer cold with a brutal right hand in the tenth round. He was champion again – at the age of 45.
Still he fought on. Unconvincing wins over Germany’s Axel Schulz, Crawford Grimsley and Lou Savarese led to a clash with rising star Shannon Briggs in Atlantic City on November 22 1997. There the 48-year-old Foreman dropped a controversial majority decision and quietly walked away from the sport.
In retirement, he became a commentator and reportedly made a small fortune by putting his name to a healthy eating grill.
He was also the father of nine children – all the boys were reportedly named George and all the girls Georgette. When pressed for an explanation, the amiable Foreman would patiently explain it made it easier to call them all into dinner at the same time.
George Foreman, born January 10 1949, died March 21 2025
Topics
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Heavyweight boxing great George Foreman dead at 76
Former heavyweight champion George Foreman, who lost to Muhammad Ali in boxing's iconic 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" before reclaiming the title two decades later, died Friday aged 76, his family ...Yahoo Sports - 12h -
George Foreman, boxing legend who fought Muhammad Ali in the 'Rumble in the Jungle,' dies at 76
George Foreman, the heavyweight champion who fought Muhammad Ali and was known for his ferociousness in the ring and bubbly personality, has died.Yahoo Sports - 21h -
George Foreman: Former heavyweight champion dies aged 76
George Foreman, the boxing world champion who became a celebrated product pitchman, has died at age 76, his family said in a statement.Yahoo Sports - 20h -
Heavyweight boxing legend George Foreman dies aged 76
Foreman won his first world heavyweight championship in 1973 and lost it a year later to Muhammad Ali in the famous Rumble in the Jungle fight.BBC News - 15h -
George Foreman, heavyweight boxing champion, dies at 76
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Foreman won two heavyweight championships, fought Muhammad Ali in the 'Rumble in the Jungle' and captured gold in the 1968 OlympicsCBS Sports - 19h -
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