Former heavyweight champion George Foreman, known for his iconic matches and a larger personality than life, passed away Friday, March 21, at the age of 76.
His family confirmed his death in a statement, revealing that he died peacefully on March 21, 2025, surrounded by loved ones.
“We announce deep sorrow, announcing the death of our beloved George Edward Foreman Sr. We appreciate the pouring of love and prayer and demand privacy because we respect a person’s extraordinary life and we are lucky enough to call ourselves,” the family said in an Instagram statement.
Nicknamed “Big George”, the foreman carved his name into boxing history, an outstanding career spanning decades. He won 76 professional games with 81 times and was surprisingly successful with 68 wins in knockout.
The foreman first rose to fame in 1968 and won the Olympic gold medal in the super lightweight division of the Mexico City Games. He quickly transitioned to professional boxing and made headlines in 1973 when he demolished then-heavyweight champion Joe Frazier in two rounds. However, his most famous battle came a year after the 1974 “Rumbling in the Jungle” against Muhammad Ali. The unbeaten foreman in 40 games at the time was attracted by Ali’s legendary “rope” strategy and lost his title in the eighth round.
“I can’t believe I lost the world championship,” Foreman later admitted. “This is the most embarrassing moment of my life. From pride to a pity. It’s devastating.”
After the failure, the foreman tried to make a comeback, but suffered another setback against Jimmy Young in 1977. Not long after, he experienced what he called religious awakening, retired at the age of 28 and became the appointed minister.
A decade later, a transformative foreman – Bald, heavier, seemed to surpass his peak – solidified the boxing world by announcing his comeback. It was originally a man’s head that turned into one of the greatest redemption stories in sports history. He fought 21 times in three years, won the title against Evander Holyfield in 1991 and won against Tommy Morrison in 1993, both of which lost points.
However, in 1994, the foreman shocked the world when he eliminated Michael Moorer in the 10th round to regain the heavyweight title, 20 years after he lost Ali 20 years. At 45 years old and 299 days old, he became the oldest heavyweight champion in history.
Although he was stripped of the WBA and IBF titles for refusing to force defense, the foreman continued to fight, retiring in a good way in 1997 at the age of 48 after losing Shannon Briggs.
In addition to boxing, the foreman also recognized the “George Worker’s Lean BBQ Machine” and became a cultural icon, the product made him a household name and multi-millionaire.
Legendary boxing promoter Bob Arum paid tribute to the foreman, calling him “one of the biggest punchers and personalities of the sport’s history.”
Born on January 10, 1949 in Houston, Texas, the foreman grew up in a challenging environment. As a troubled teenager, he left school at the age of 16, turned to crime and then found discipline through boxing.
The foreman got married four times, gave birth to 10 children, and adopted two more children. It is worth noting that he named all five sons of George Edward, who explained: “‘If one of us goes up, we all go up together, if one goes down, we all go down together!'”
His legacy as a two-time heavyweight Olympic gold medalist and pop culture icon ensures his impact on boxing and beyond.
