R.I.P George Foreman

George Foreman, two time heavyweight boxing world champion and Olympic Gold Medalist, died March 21st, 2025 at age 76. His death was announced on social media by his family, and no cause of death was immediately released.

Foreman first burst onto the scene by winning the Gold Medal in heavyweight boxing at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. He went onto a highly successful—and lengthy—professional career, not retiring for good until 1997 when he was nearly 49 years old. He finished his professional career with a record of 76-5, including 68 wins by knockout.

In 1973, Foreman won his first heavyweight championship, defeating Joe Frazier on a technical knockout in the second round. He successfully defended his crown with wins over Jose Roman and Ken Norton before facing Muhammad Ali on October 30, 1974 in Kinshasa, Zaire, in a match popularly called The Rumble in the Jungle. Ali handed Foreman his first professional defeat, and regained the world heavyweight championship. Though Foreman wanted a rematch, this would be the only match between the two.

Foreman won his next five fights before losing a unanimous decision to Jimmy Young in 1977. Foreman then informally retired from the ring, not boxing again until 1987. In the interim, he became an ordained minister. Between 1987 and 1990, Foreman won 24 matches without a loss. He fought defending champion Evander Holyfield on April 19th, 1991, but lost on a unanimous decision. He won his next three matches before losing to Tommy Morrison by unanimous decision on June 7th, 1993.

On November 5th, 1994, Foreman upset world champion Michael Moorer, and became the heavyweight champion again at aged 45. The World Boxing Association insisted that Foreman fight it’s top ranked challenger, Tony Tucker, but Foreman refused and was stripped of his title. Foreman won his next three bouts, before losing for only the fifth time in his career, on a decision to Shannon Briggs on November 22nd, 1997. Though there was talk of returning to the ring over the next few years, the Briggs fight was the final match of his career.

After retirement, Foreman continued with his ministerial career. He also made television appearances and lent his name to the George Foreman Grill, a highly successful product that earned Foreman more money than he made as a boxer.

Here’s the first Foreman-Frazier fight, with Howard Cosell and the famous “Down Goes Frazier” call.