Remembering George Foreman
Story by Alex and John Rinaldi
From the Skyscrapers of New York to the Mount Fuji Mountains near Tokyo to Stonehenge in Great Britain all the way to the Northern Lights in Alaska, sadness reigned in arenas and boxing rings around the world as the news of the legendary George Foreman’s passing.
Like the family man he was, George foreman died with his expansive family around him in his sprawling $10 million estate in Huffman, Texas.
Foreman was married for more than 40 years to his fifth wife, Mary Joan Martelly Foreman, and he had 12 children, seven girls and five boys. Famously, all of his sons were named George Foreman.
Along with his fellow former Heavyweight rivals, Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali, Foreman was part of the Golden Age of heavyweight boxing in the 1970s. The three great champions thrilled fans across the globe with one classic bout after another. As result, in the 1970’s no sport reached higher heights than boxing.
George Foreman winning the Olympics in 1968.
Foreman was the last living member of the trio fabled trio of heavyweight gunslingers – the last of the Magnificent Three.
George Foreman was a true original whose story was a one-of-a kind rags to riches story. While many men from poor or delinquent backgrounds find athletics as a chance of escapism or a safety valve to fame and fortune, Foreman’s rise was vastly distinctive from the rest.
Like most of the others, George experienced a rags to riches narrative leading from a rock bottom beginning to the highest plateau and heights in all of sports. But unlike the others, Foreman suffered a strange and horrible fall, which was accompanied and followed by a revelation from God, then a return to his original sport – boxing – almost ten years to the day he left!
From there he rose to even greater pinnacles than the legendary Phoenix and, in turn, he made himself the most recognizable name and face across the world.
George Foreman, like a gladiator in Roman Times, came, went, and conquered, and in the process became lionized, not only in his chosen profession of boxing, but also to multitudes throughout the globe.
Foreman (L) attacking champion Joe Frazier (R) before knocking him out.
The most remarkable dissimilarity between Foreman and the so-called other great athletes in the vast history of sports, was that George went through an amazing metamorphosis. So much so, that when he emerged literally from obscurity and self-induced hibernation, he had transformed himself to an entirely different person. Big George looked different, sounded different, spoke different, and more importantly his personality was different.
He was no longer the mean snarling George Forman of the 1960’s and 1970’s.
The George that emerged from the hinterlands in the middle of the 1980s was, in fact, a reincarnation of the original George Foreman. In its place now stood a jovial, funny, and captivating George Foreman. The only feature of his past that remained was his unbelievable punching power and brute physical strength.
The combination of his new appearance and old power would eventually catapult George Foreman to summits that would have been deemed both unimaginable and unreachable in the past. In the process he became the most recognizable man in the world, and more importantly he would regain the Heavyweight title he lost to Muhammad Ali in 1974 and become the oldest Heavyweight Champion of the World.
George Edward Foreman was born on Jan. 10, 1949, in Marshall, Texas. It was a tough area especially for African American youths like Foreman, who soon became a bully because of his size and being a petty criminal. He even dropped out of school during his teens. As Foreman later claimed, he was on a gravel road to nowhere. Then he heard about President Lyndon Johnson’s Job Corps. He joined at the age of 16 and by 17 he found boxing.
George Foreman (L) with President Lyndon Johnson (R) after George won the Olympic Gold Medal.
He was a natural fighter. He was mean, big, and had a bigger punch than anyone else. Fistic Lore will later report that George Foreman and Rocky Marciano were the only two fighters who punched holes into heavy bags, thereby requiring special thicker bags to be made for them.
Foreman worked his way quickly up the ranks of amateur boxing and eventually at the age of 19 years old cemented a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team for the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico.
Like previous future heavyweight kings like Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, and Joe Frazier before him, Foreman became an Olympic Boxing Champion, defeating Ionas Chepulis of the Soviet Union by a second-round knockout in Mexico City in 1968 in the heavyweight division.
After his great win, Foreman refused to follow the lead of other African Americans like track athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos who raised clenched fists during the national anthem. Instead, George in a true gesture of his love of America waved a small American flag in the ring.
“I was just glad to be an American,” said Foreman afterwards. “Some people have tried to make something of it, calling me an Uncle Tom, but I’m not. I just believe people should live together in peace.”
As many fighters did before him, Foreman turned professional shortly after returning from the Olympic games.
In 1969 at New York’s famed Madison Square Garden then considered the Mecca of Boxing, George Foreman began his storied career by scoring a savage three-round knockout over Donald Walheim. After that he started a heavy schedule of fights, often as much as a dozen per year.
Foreman in training.
After that fight he defeated such top contenders as Chuck Wepner (TKO 3), Jack O’Halloran (KO 5), and George Chuvalo (TKO 3).
By 1971, Forman was the number one ranked heavyweight contender with an impressive record of 32–0 (29 KO). After winning 5 more fights, Foreman finally got a shot at the legendary undefeated Heavyweight Champion Smokin’ Joe Frazier on January 22, 1973.
Although he entered the ring in Kingston, Jamaica with a record of (37-0, 34 KO’s), George was 3-1 underdog against the great Joe Frazier who had previously defeated Muhammad Ali two years earlier after dropping him with a terrific left hook in round 15.
Once the bell rang to start the fight, Foreman acted nothing like an underdog.
On the contrary he resembled some of the greatest heavyweight ring killers in history such as Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, and Rocky Marciano before him.
Foreman (R) knocking out Joe Frazier (L) in their first fight when George won the Heavyweight Championship of the World.
Foreman punched as if his fists contained the power of Thor. He hurt Frazier immediately and swiftly dominated the fight, knocking Frazier down six times before the contest was stopped halfway through the second round.
One of those knockdowns led the famed television announcer Howard Cosell to shout one of his most famous calls: “Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!”
George Foreman knocked Joe Frazier down six times within two rounds (the three-knockdown rule was not in effect for this bout). One of the punches even caused Frazier briefly take flight in the air! After the second knockdown, Frazier’s balance and mobility were impaired to the extent that he was unable to evade Big George’s explosive-like punches. As a testament to his guts and bravery, after each knockdown, Frazier bravely managed to get to his feet for all six knockdowns. Unfortunately for the heroic Frazier, referee Arthur Mercante had seen enough and stopped the one-sided bout.
Viewing the fight live, the New York Times reporter said, “It was unbelievable. In little more than four and a half minutes, George Foreman destroyed Joe Frazier tonight, and the man who supposedly couldn’t lose never had even one ghost of a chance for victory. So there is a new heavyweight champion of the world, and he won it with skills.”
After winning the title, Foreman defended the title twice scoring two devastating knockouts of Jose Roman (KO 1) and Ken Norton (TKO 2). It was the same Ken Norton who had recently given Muhammad Ali the second loss of his career, and who later became the WBC Heavyweight Champion.
Boxing: WBC/ WBA/ IBF Heavyweight Title: George Foreman (L) in action vs Evander Holyfield during fight at Boardwalk Convention Hall.
In the meantime, Ali then went on a string of three victories including wins over Ken Norton (rematch) and the second fight with Joe Frazier.
The fight between Foreman and Ali was eventually set to take place in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) in 1974 that would become known as the Rumble in the Jungle.
Unlike in his fight against Frazier, in this fight Foreman was the strong favorite.
Ali won the fight after employed his “rope-a-dope” strategy, whereby he would rest on slackened ropes that caused him to lean back sometimes as far as four feet from Foreman who tried desperately to reach his Muhammad’s outstretched chin.
This caused Foreman to punch himself out, though Foreman later claimed he was poisoned.
Ali finished the fight with a left-right combination that dropped George to the canvas. Once he landed on the ring floor, the referee began one of the fastest counts in boxing history. The referee started counting over Foreman before Ali even made it back to the neutral corner.
Sadly, after Ali won, he deliberately ducked Foreman for years. Apparently, he did not want to deal again with Foreman’s punch or size. Lightning only strikes once, and Ali figured that there was no chance of lightening striking again.
While Foreman quickly became the number one contender by beating five fighters over the course of one year, including an exciting KO win over Ron Lyle (KO 5) and another devastating knockout of Joe Frazier (TKO 5).
Goerge foreman (R) hitting Gerry Cooney with a hard right.
Unfortunately, seeing no real title shot in sight, Foreman lost a decision to Jimmy Young. It was in that fight where George believed he saw God when he collapsed from exhaustion after the fight in his dressing room.
After that loss, he retired at age 28 and disappeared from boxing for nearly ten years having started preaching the bible as a Christian Minister in Houston and starting a Youth Center.
He later said that he died after that fight. “Things changed for me,” he said. “I definitely died. I had an experience while I was dead and alive again.” He said he was given “another chance to live,” and decided to give his life to God.
With his ring money running out he decided to go back to the only profession that had earlier made him millions.
“I want to be champion again,” he said in 1987. “I’ve got a three-year plan. I want to start at the bottom. Train harder than any man in the world. Fight once a month.”
Foreman knocking out Ken Norton.
To his credit and character – Foreman did just that.
Although there was a great deal of criticism and skepticism of the new George Foreman, in time George proved all those naysayers wrong.
As a matter of fact, the only sports outlet or publication that supported Foreman from the beginning was THE USA BOXING NEWS – and we turned out to be right.
Foreman began the second leg of his boxing career knocking out Steve Zouski on March 9, 1987, at the ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California.
After scoring seven straight knockouts, Foreman took on former Light Heavyweight Champion and Cruiserweight Champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi who was on a course to try and recapture his Cruiserweight Championship that he lost to Evander Holyfield then again in their rematch. After a relatively slow start, Foreman stopped Qawi in the seventh round of their scheduled 10 rounder.
After this fight people finally took notice.
George was starting to gather steam and rattled off six more wins including impressive victories over Bert Cooper (RTD 2), Everett Martin (UD 10), and Gerry Cooney (KO 2).
After scoring a KO win over Terry Anderson on September 25, 1990, in London England, Foreman’s record reached 24 -0 (23 KO’s) since he came back in 1986.
Because of George’s newfound fame for his great sense of humor and various commercials for items from Doritos to Meineke Mufflers, along with his huge wins against quality opponents, George finally earned a shot at Evander Holyfield who was the reigning Undisputed heavyweight Champion of the World.
Foreman being interviewed by the Boxing Twins Alex and John Rinaldi in 1992.
Before that fight, in 1990 both Foreman and Mike Tyson appeared on a fight card together fighting other fighters. After these fights, promoter Don King wanted to set a fight between the two famous gladiators. Foreman wanted that fight while Tyson refused. When we spoke to Foreman about this he said, “Tyson is scared of me.” George also said that he would have knocked Tyson out.
Later, and more recently, Tyson apparently admitted this fact.
“I was there when Don was trying to make the fight, said King then matchmaker Bobby Goodman. “He was telling Tyson that Foreman represented huge money, plus he was old and slow and would be no problem.” Tyson got up and screamed at King saying, ‘I’m not fighting that f***** animal, if you love the m******** so much, you fight him!”
Joe Frazier goes down for the third knockdown in the first round title bout against George Foreman who is standing over him in Kingston, Jamaica on Jan. 22, 1973. Foreman won the bout in the second round.
On April 19, 1991, at age 42, Foreman entered the ring against the undefeated Champion Evander Holyfield at a sold-out Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. After some pretty close rounds, Evander Holyfield retained his title by a unanimous decision. Though he lost the fight, George put on a brave and admirable performance.
Foreman with President Ronald Reagan.
Still, Foreman was saddened by the loss, and many figured that it seemed to be the end of Foreman’s title dreams.
Of course, THE USA BOXING NEWS again felt otherwise.
Luckily, so did Foreman.
He went on to fight four more fights including wins over top contenders Alex Stewart and Pierre Coetzer.
His only lost was a close decision to then top ranked Tommy Morrison.
After his win over Foreman, Holyfield defended his title four more times until he lost it to Riddick Bowe in 1992. Evander reclaimed it from Bowe in 1993 only to lose it to Michael Moorer in 1994.
Although Foreman was coming off a close loss, fans still clamored to see Big George fight for the title again.
When all things looked bleak and Foreman was now turning 45 years old, he got the chance, probably his one last chance, to reclaim the biggest prize in all of ports – the Heavyweight Championship of the World.
“It’s not about deserving,” Foreman said with a smile, “because I’ve got it.”
The fight took place in November 5, 1994 before a sell-out crowd in Las Vegas at the MGM Arena. Surprisingly, Foreman entered the ring wearing the exact trunks he wore when he lost to Muhammad Ali 20 years before in Zaire.
NABF Heavyweight Title: George Foreman (L) in action vs Joe Frazier during fight at Nassau Coliseum.
Foreman fought tough, but the undefeated lefty Michael Moorer was winning every round going into the tenth round. To show his confidence and condition, Foreman had stood rather than sit on a stool between rounds.
Somehow, Moorer decided to go for the knockout and Foreman countered with a thundering right hand that smashed the champion on the sweet part of the jaw as if he was stuck by a blacksmith’s anvil. The great Michael Moorer was unconscious before he landed hard and fast on the canvas. As the crowd stood standing in pure disbelief, the referee counted out the magical ten-count as the place erupted in pure pandemonium. Foreman literally shocked the world with his big win.
As the crowd sheered, Big George kneeled and prayed as he was once again the Heavyweight Champion of the World.
Moorer had thrown 641 punches, to 369 by Foreman. But the last punch was the one that counted.
George Foreman (L) knocking out Terry Anderson in1990.
He became the oldest heavyweight champion in history.
On account of his big win, in 1994, the Associated Press named George Foreman (boxing) as the Male Athlete of the Year and Bonnie Blair (speed skating) as the Female Athlete of the Year.
Unfortunately, and almost crookedly, ESPN – gave that year’s ESPY Award to alleged baseball cheater Barry Bonds who had only a .312 batting average on a meaningless baseball year.
Foreman slugging with champion Miichael Moorer in their 1994 bout.
Considering that 1994 was a strike-shortened season in baseball which both the owners and the payers were co-conspirators in, and that the fans and ticket buyers were totally screwed and treated out of their money that they spent on tickets – NO baseball player, much less the despicable Barry Bonds should have eclipsed the greatest feat of the world captured by Foreman.
We were one of the baseball season ticket holders who were literally robbed and cheated by Major League Baseball who have shown all these years to have the loyalty of slimy rattlesnakes.
forming (R) landing the KO punch to Michael Moorer’s chin (L).
Foreman next defended his belt against a German fighter, Axel Schulz. His final fight was a loss, a close decision to Shannon Briggs in 1997. He was 48.
Foreman knocking out previously unbeaten Michael Moorer in round 10.
He finished with a professional record of 76-5 (68 KO’s) and is widely regarded as one of the 10 best heavyweight fighters of all time; THE USA BOXING NEWS ranked him fifth. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.
Starting in 1994, Foreman forged a successful career after life in the ring, with the George Foreman Grill selling in huge numbers worldwide. Foreman began endorsing the George Foreman Grill in 1994, with a big smile and predictable but still charming lines like “It’s a knockout.” The grills were electric and portable and could be used inside as an alternative to outdoor charcoal grilling. Foreman helped make the grills an American kitchen mainstay.
In 1999, Salton Inc. paid George $137.5 million for worldwide rights to use Foreman’s name on grills; Foreman got about 75% of the payout. He also endorsed mufflers, burgers, Doritos, and fried chicken.
Foreman’s affability helped him transcend boxing and cross over into the media world. In 1993-94, in the midst of his comeback, he starred in “George,” a short-lived sitcom on ABC in which he played a retired boxer helping troubled youth, and he made guest appearances on several other shows over the years. He appeared in a Venus-flytrap costume on the reality competition show “The Masked Singer” in 2022.
George Foreman goes down as one of the greatest and most likeable athletes of all time.
George Foreman with Alex Rinaldi.
We have been present and many events with George Foreman and he has been wonderful with his fans signing autographs for free along with talking and taking pictures with them. Unlike athletes in other sports, such as baseball, golf, basketball, and football, where most of those athletes would rather run over fans before they greet and sign an autograph for them, Foreman, like most fighters, was very accommodating and affable with his fans.
President Donald Trump paid tribute on Truth Social: “George Foreman is dead. What a great fighter!!! He had, without question, the heaviest and biggest punch in the history of boxing. With the exception of 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. I knew him well, and he will be missed. Warmest condolences to his wonderful family!!!”
Joe Frazier, George Foreman, and Muhammad Ali. The Magnificent Three.
Turki Alalshikh, a key figure in modern boxing and chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, described Foreman as one of “three pillars” of the sport along with Ali and Frazier.
“The last boxing pillar for an unforgettable era has passed away today,” Alalshikh posted alongside a picture of the trio. “May his soul rest in peace, Big George Foreman!”
George Foreman – the New Heavyweight Champion of the World!!!
Former NBA player Charles Barkley was close to Foreman, having similarly moved into entrepreneurial pursuits after his retirement. “He was obviously one of the greatest boxers ever, but just a gentle man, he was a pastor – and it just hurts man, plain and simple”, Barkley told CBS.
“I’m shook up right now, that caught me so off guard.”
George and Donald Trump.
“Condolences to George Foreman’s family,” Mike Tyson said on social media, paying tribute. “His contribution to boxing and beyond will never be forgotten.”
George Foreman along with Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Joe Frazier, and Muhammad Ali deserve to be on the Mount Rushmore of Heavyweight Champions.
He will be greatly missed because he was so greatly loved by all.
__________
