Boxing icon George Foreman, one of the sport’s most dominant and enduring figures, has died at the age of 76, his family announced in a Friday night Instagram post.
Foreman, affectionately known as “Big George”, achieved extraordinary success in the ring, winning an Olympic gold medal in 1968 and claiming the world heavyweight title twice—21 years apart. His second reign at age 45 made him the oldest heavyweight champion in history.
His family’s statement described him as “a devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand and great-grandfather”, praising his faith, humility, and discipline. They called him “a humanitarian, an Olympian, and two-time world champion”, adding that he fought tirelessly to preserve his good name for his family.
Born on 10 January 1949, in Marshall, Texas, Foreman was raised in poverty alongside six siblings by a single mother in the segregated American South. As a teenager, he dropped out of school and turned to street robberies before discovering boxing, which changed his life.
He rose to fame at just 19 years old, winning the heavyweight gold medal at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. He then turned professional, amassing 37 consecutive wins before capturing his first world title in 1973, when he knocked out undefeated champion Joe Frazier in just two rounds, knocking him down six times in the process.
Foreman’s most famous fight came in 1974, when he defended his title against Muhammad Ali in the historic “Rumble in the Jungle” in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). The fight, one of the most celebrated in boxing history, saw Ali use his now-legendary “rope-a-dope” strategy, allowing Foreman to punch himself into exhaustion before Ali delivered the knockout blow in the eighth round.
Foreman later reflected on the fight in a BBC interview, admitting that most experts believed he would “decimate” Ali. Instead, he suffered his first professional loss, an event he later described as “the best thing that ever happened to me”, as it led him to his true calling—preaching.
After losing again in 1977, Foreman retired and became a Christian minister, founding the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Texas. He initially preached on street corners before his congregation grew large enough to require its own church building.
However, Foreman shocked the boxing world by returning to the ring in 1987, at the age of 38, hoping to raise funds for a youth centre he had established. He went on an incredible run, winning 24 straight fights before challenging Evander Holyfield for the world title in 1991. Though he lost on points after 12 hard-fought rounds, Foreman remained a serious contender.
In 1994, at age 45, he made history by knocking out Michael Moorer to reclaim the heavyweight championship, becoming the oldest person ever to win the title.
Foreman officially retired from boxing in 1997, finishing his career with an astonishing 76 wins (68 by knockout) and just five losses.
Outside boxing, Foreman became one of the most successful pitchmen in history, lending his name to the George Foreman Grill, which launched in 1994. The “Lean Mean Grilling Machine” became a global sensation, selling over 100 million units and making Foreman a fortune that far exceeded his boxing earnings.
Foreman was married five times and had 12 children, including five sons, all named George. He once explained that he gave them the same name so that “they would always have something in common.”
His contributions to boxing, business, and faith cemented his legacy as one of the sport’s greatest champions and most recognisable figures.
