It's a sad day in the world of boxing. George Foreman has passed away at the age of 76. He was a two-time world heavyweight boxing champion and an Olympic gold medalist whose legendary rivalry with Muhammad Ali culminated in the famous, 'Rumble in the Jungle' title bout. This is according to a verified social media account dedicated to Foreman.
The Instagram post read: "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. 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."
"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."
He was known as one of the most powerful punchers in boxing history. Foreman won Olympic gold in only his 25th amateur fight, devastated one of the all-time greats in Joe Frazier and went on to retain the heavyweight title twice before his now-iconic 1974 fight with Ali in Kinshasha, Zaire - now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Foreman also enjoyed major success as an entrepreneur, with his, "George Foreman Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine" product debuting in 1994 and going on to sell more than 100 million units worldwide.
Foreman’s victory over Soviet fighter, Jonas Čepulis, at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico, sparked the beginning of his professional career but his celebration was also significant.
He took a small American flag and waved it to every corner of the stadium – a memorable moment, given that just ten days earlier, his U.S.A. team-mates: Tommie Smith and John Carlos; gave the Black Power salute on the podium.
It was an action for which Foreman has no regrets, despite backlash when he returned to the U.S.A. He told The Undefeated: "When I walked into the Olympic Village, I saw a couple of athletes who looked like me. I went to speak to them, but they couldn’t speak English. For the first time, I realised that the only thing that could identify us was our nation's colors."
"I waved the flag so they knew I was American. Everyone started applauding, so I waved it higher. That is the only reason I had that flag. If I had to do it all over again, I would have had two flags in my pocket."
He continued: "I proudly walked down Lyons Avenue in the Fifth Ward [in Houston] wearing my medal. A guy I thought was a friend walked up, looked me in the face and said, 'How could you do what you did when the brothers [Smith and Carlos] were doing their thing?' It … broke … my … heart. I didn’t expect that."
Foreman turned professional and won his first 37 bouts before taking on world heavyweight champion, Joe Frazier, in Kingston, Jamaica, in January 1973.
Despite being the clear underdog, Foreman knocked Frazier down six times in two rounds to claim the WBA and WBC heavyweight belts and become heavyweight champion.
His two defenses of the title - first downing Puerto Rico’s Jose Roman in 50 seconds and then beating American, Ken Norton, who had just defeated Ali, in just two rounds – set up the, "Rumble in the Jungle" bout in Zaire in October 1974.
The event had huge cultural and political significance. The decision to hold the fight in Zaire was controversial, with criticism over human rights abuses and corruption under late President Mobutu Sese Seko. It was also seen as a platform for Black athletes to promote African unity.
The fight itself – which saw both contenders guaranteed $5 million each, a huge amount at the time in the sport - is seen as one of the greatest ever.
Using a tactic later known as, "rope-a-dope," Ali was able to withstand Foreman’s punches by leaning back on the ropes, before landing a series of blows in the eighth round in what turned out to be his only knockout defeat in a 28-year professional career.
"I thought this would be the easiest $5 million I was going to pick up," Foreman said following Ali’s death in 2016.
“I hit him hard in the third round, and he looked at me as if to say, 'I’m not gonna take it!' He hit me with a quick one-two, knocked me down to the canvas and my whole life changed. I was devastated. Little did I know I would make the best friend I ever had in my life."
A dedicated Christian, Foreman became an ordained minister after losing his second professional boxing match in 1977 and retired from the sport.
Ten years later, despite being out of shape physically, Foreman returned to the ring at the age of 39, even taking on the 28-year-old Evander Holyfield in 1991 in a fight dubbed, "The Battle of the Ages," though he ultimately lost via unanimous decision.
Foreman went on to stun the boxing world in 1994 when he won the IBF and WBA heavyweight titles by defeating Michael Moorer. It was 20 years after his loss to Ali.
In an interview with Boxing News in 2023, Foreman said the victory felt more special than his first heavyweight title win against Frazier.
"The second time I made a point of believing it," he said. "The first time I didn't believe it. When you fight for the heavyweight championship of the world it does feel unbelievable, it doesn’t feel like you’re really there, it could be a dream. 'You’re going to wake up soon, you don’t belong in the ring with these guys.'"
Foreman finally retired for good in 1997, with a career record of 76 wins - 68 by KO - and five losses. An impoverished youngster, Foreman grew up as one of seven children in the troubled Fifth Ward in Houston and often bullied younger children before dropping out of high school.
He joined the Job Corps when he was 16, doing construction work and forestry – and it was there that he met Job Corps counsellor and boxing coach, Doc Broaddus, which set Foreman on the way to a glittering career.
He also launched a clothing line and a short-lived reality TV show starring himself with his wife Mary Joan and 12 children – including five boys named George. Foreman continued to preach at his church in Houston.
"My mother [Nancy] would have approved of [my ministry work] in a way she never did my boxing," Foreman told Sorted magazine in March 2024.
The Ring magazine, often dubbed the Bible of Boxing, described him as, "one of the greatest heavyweights of all time". [He] will be remembered as an icon of the sport forever."
Foreman was born in Marshall, Texas, on 10 January 1949, and raised along with six siblings by a single mother in the segregated American South. He dropped out of school and turned to street robberies before eventually finding his outlet in the ring.
Foreman told the BBC he typically would get "real nervous" and have "butterflies" before any boxing match, but that night - it was the "most comfortable" he had felt.
After a second professional loss, Foreman retired in 1977 and became an ordained minister at the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Texas, which he founded and built. He told the BBC his defeat to Ali became the "best thing that ever happened to me" as it ultimately led him to "get my message out" through preaching.
He recalled that his preaching started small, on street corners and with friends, then grew. "We began meeting informally at various homes in Houston, and before long, the crowds became too large for most houses to accommodate," Foreman said on his website.
"Eventually, we bought a piece of land and an old, dilapidated building on the north-east side of Houston." Foreman came out of retirement in 1987 to raise money for a youth centre he founded. He won 24 matches before losing to Evander Holyfield after 12 rounds in 1991.
In 1994, Foreman knocked out undefeated Michael Moorer to become the oldest ever heavyweight champion at age 45. He became ad pitchman for his George Foreman Grill, which millions have purchased since it hit the market in 1994, thanks in part to his memorable catchphrase, the "Lean Mean Grilling Machine."
Foreman was married five times. He has a dozen children, including five sons who are all named George. He explained on his website that he named them after himself so they "they would always have something in common."
"I say to them, 'If one of us goes up, then we all go up together," he explained. "And if one goes down, we all go down together!'"
George Foreman definitely lived an interesting life. His life proves that sport can help and improve a person's life. Sport has the power to change someone's attitude and behaviour. When participating in a sport, there are always multiple goals to aim for.
I believe it's important that he also ventured out of sport. One can't live off the success and achievements of a singular event/career. That can become old news very fast. It's best that they find opportunities that will support themselves further into their life.
Religion and family are very important. Having a faith can be vital as it has the power to guide people in various matters. Having close relationships can help with emotional issues and support.