George Foreman, erstwhile two-time heavyweight champion of the world, died on March 21, 2025, at the age of 76. He died as his family publicly announced his death in an emotional post on his official Instagram account.
“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,” the message stated. “We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers, and kindly ask for privacy as we honor the extraordinary life of a man we were blessed to call our own.”
George Foreman: A Journey from Struggles to Boxing Greatness
Born in Texas on January 10, 1949, George Foreman was raised in Houston in tough conditions. The man who he thought was his father was frequently absent and had a problem with alcohol. He later learned that his biological father was a World War II veteran who contacted Foreman after he won his first heavyweight championship.
Foreman’s teenage years were marked by a difficult upbringing, leaving school at 16 and turning to crime. His younger brother Roy remembered his frightening presence.
“At 13-years-old, George was about 6-foot-2, 200 pounds and the terrorist in the neighbourhood,” Roy explained to the BBC in 2024. “And when you’re bigger and stronger and think you’re better than everyone else, you take things.”
But obviously, boxing altered his course. He had initially wanted to be a footballer, and he began boxing at 16 to demonstrate his bravery to his friends. “I wanted to be a football player,” Foreman posted on his website. “I tried boxing just to show my friends that I wasn’t afraid. Well, 25 fights, and one year later, I was an Olympic gold medallist.”
Olympic Gold of George Foreman and his ascent into Heavyweight Champion
At the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, Foreman, then 19 years old, dominated the super-heavyweight division and won gold. Foreman’s celebration of his victory waving an American flag contrasted with the Black Power salute by Tommie Smith and John Carlos a few days before.
Standing at 6-foot-4 (1.93m) with overwhelming power, Foreman quickly ascended the professional ranks. In 1973, he destroyed reigning champion Joe Frazier in two rounds, cementing his dominance. By the time he faced Muhammad Ali in the iconic 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle,” he was undefeated in 40 fights.
However, Ali’s famed ‘rope-a-dope’ strategy exhausted Foreman, leading to an eighth-round knockout loss. The defeat shattered his invincible aura.
“I just couldn’t believe I’d lost the world title,” he said later. “It was the most embarrassing moment of my life. It went from pride to pity. That’s devastating.”
Retirement, Religious Awakening, and a Dazzling Comeback
Following his defeat by Jimmy Young in 1977, Foreman underwent a life-altering spiritual awakening. He retired aged 28 and became an ordained minister, giving himself over to community work.
Ten years later, he made a surprising comeback to the ring. With a shaved head and a bulkier physique, Foreman’s return was ridiculed at first. But he maintained that it was not a publicity stunt but a means to finance his youth center.
From 1987 to 1991, he engaged in 21 fights, winning all except one by knockout. He made title challenges against Evander Holyfield in 1991 and against Tommy Morrison in 1993 but lost both bouts on points.
Then, in November of 1994, Foreman shocked the world. At the age of 45 years and 299 days, he knocked Michael Moorer out in the 10th round to regain the heavyweight title. Dressed in the same shorts as when he fought Ali 20 years earlier, he became the oldest world heavyweight champion of all time.
Beyond Boxing: Business and Family Life
Foreman’s reign came to an end when he was stripped of the WBA and IBF titles for not making mandatory defenses. He still fought until 1997, when he lost on points to Shannon Briggs at the age of 48 and eventually retired.
His impact went far beyond the ring. In 1994, he joined a firm to introduce the “George Foreman Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine.” His affable TV personality sold more than 100 million units, making him a household name outside of sports.
George Foreman also uniquely approached the family. He was married four times and had 12 children, five of whom were sons named George Edward Foreman.
“I wanted them to understand, ‘If one of us gets up, then we all get up together, and if one falls, we all fall down together!'”
A Lasting Legacy
George Foreman had a professional fighting record of 81 fights, 76 wins, and 68 knockouts. He made a lasting legacy in the sport of boxing. His amazing toughness, from teenage delinquent to heavyweight champion to popular entrepreneur, is an inspiring story.
Foreman’s death signals the end of an era, yet his legacy on and off the track will continue for generations to come.
