The oldest world champion heavyweight ever, who recovered his title 20 years at the age of 45, is George Foreman an undisputed legend of Boxing.
It is proof of his lifetime and constant self -awareness that different generations will remember George Foreman for so many different reasons.
Foreman changed from the boxer whose devastating bumps of opponents dominated, but who remained aloof from the audience, to the smiling, family -friendly older George who advertised his grills on TV.
He announced to the world as a 19-year-old boxing phenomenon, waving with the American flag after winning the 'Cold War collision' against the Jonas Cepulis of the Soviet Union to take the heavyweight gold medal in Mexico 1968.
But only two years earlier it seemed likely that Foreman would take a completely different path until he experiences, not for the only time in his life, a moment of clarity.
As he remembered: 'Only less than two years prior to that date that I would be on that platform to receive gold and listen to the national anthem, I sat under a house and hid for the police.
It is proof of his lifetime and constant self -awareness that different generations will remember George Foreman for so many different reasons
Referee Joe Cortez keeps George Foreman's arm in the victory after Foreman Michael Moorer had beaten in the tenth round of their planned 12 round IBF/WBA heavyweight title fight, on November 5, 1994
Former world champion Boxer George Foreman poses during the launch of his 'Lean, Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine' in 2001
“I climbed under that house, in mud and slop, and said to myself:” I'm going to do something in my life, I'm not a thief. '
Although born in Marshall, Texas, on January 10, 1949, Foreman grew up among gangs in a crime -ravaged neighborhood in Houston. His father left the house and George and his six brothers and sisters were raised by his mother and her partner JD Foreman. She worked for long hours and was often absent, and Foreman soon became a juvenile delinquent and stopped school of 15 years old.
After his revelation, Foreman removed himself from his impoverished home town, moved to Oregon and joined the brainchild of President Lyndon Johnson, the Job Corps. The job corps, still around today, offered young American vocational training with a low income as part of a so -called 'war against poverty'.
It worked with the Jobs Corps in Grants Pass, Oregon, where he discovered boxing and started a rapid turnout in just two years to an Olympic gold medal.
“When you hear me say” Grants Pass, Oregon, it was like the beginning of me, “George explained.
Without the job corps, Foreman said: “I would have been dead in three years.”
The gratitude of Foreman developed into a pious patriotism and appreciation for an American. At the same Olympic Games where Tommy Smith and John Carlos gave the Black Power Salute, Foreman proudly paraded the American flag.
Foreman said: 'It was about identity, an American – that's who I was.
He was not charming as former champion Ali had been and Foreman later attributed his behavior as an emulation of the character of Sonny Liston. Displayed: Muhammad Ali fights George Foreman in 1974
Foreman changed from the boxer whose devastating bumps of opponents dominated, but who remained aloof from the audience, to the smiling, family -friendly older George who advertised his grills on TV. Shown: in 1975
Heavyweight George Foreman champion of the US smiles while holding belts for the International Boxing Federation in 1994
'I waved as much for myself with the flag as for the country.
“I let everyone know who I was and at the same time said that I was proud of being an American.”
He quickly got a reputation as a powerful puncher in the ring and rose easily from the ranks before his amateur career culminated in the gold of Mexico. In the typical Foreman-Mode he won the final via the second round stop page after pumming Cepulis in submission.
After being a professional a year later, Foreman became a productive boxer, who had all won 32 of his attacks from 1969-71, 29 of them by Knockout.
As the number one competition, he earned a title shot and in 'The Sunshine Showdown' in Jamaica he fought against the undefeated Joe Frazier.
Frazier was the pre-fighting favorite, but just couldn't live with the power of the younger man. As Omroep Howard Cosell called it famous: 'Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier! “And fight was put in the second.
But as a champion, Foreman was characterized by the media as unfriendly and not willing to deal with the public. He was not charming as former champion Ali had been and Foreman later attributed his behavior as an emulation of the character of Sonny Liston. In the 'Ali' Biopic from 2001, former boxer Charles Shufford Foreman shows as an average, uncompromising hunter, in contrast to the charismatic Ali played by Will Smith.
Foreman would successfully defend the title twice before giving it back to Ali in the most iconic fight of Boxing – The Rumble in the Jungle in 1974.
Although born in Marshall, Texas, on January 10, 1949, Foreman grew up among gangs in a crime -ravaged neighborhood in Houston. Shown: in 2019
He helped with the design of the fat -lowering George Foreman Grill and he would earn more than $ 200 million from it. Shown: in 2007
Foreman would successfully defend the title twice before he returned it to Ali in the most iconic fight of Boxing – The Rumble in the Jungle in 1974. Shifted: in 1976
Ali taunted Foreman while he fascinated himself and defended himself and defended the edges of the ring in what became known as the 'rope-a-dope' tactics. Foreman was exhausted from trying to catch the evasive Ali and he was knocked down in the eighth.
Foreman launched the first of many comebacks a year later and he eventually beat Joe Frazier again by a fifth round knockout.
His 1977 defeat against Jimmy Young led to a life -changing experience while after the fight he was in the dressing room. Suffering what he described as a near-death experience, Foreman stuck to God and when he recovered a Christian was born.
Foreman felt the need to change his ways during a life in which he was conceived ten children of several partners and married five times. Comic foreman called all five of his sons George and one of his daughters Georgetta. His other daughters are Natalia, Leola, Michi and Freeda and he took two more – Brandie Lilja and Courtney Isaac in 2012.
The newly converted foreman became a sacred minister in his hometown Houston, began to preach and opened a youth center.
Foreman surprised many by returning to boxing ten years later, initially to finance his charity.
The media mocked him because he was out of shape. He was considerably overweight for his first comeback fight, but he gradually fights for
In the ring he was slow, but somehow managed to preserve the same force in his punches. Victories flocked quickly and during a remarkable run of 24 straight victories, Foreman succeeded in recovering the IBF and WBA part of the heavyweight title on 45.
His father left the house and George and his six brothers and sisters were raised by his mother and her partner JD Foreman. Shown: in 1970
Foreman would lose the 48 -year championship to Shannon Briggs, but he had proven that his comeback was justified and demonstrated that 40 is not a death sentence. Shown: in 2023
Foreman became the oldest heavyweight champion ever by organizing a remarkable comeback against Michael Moorer who was his junior for 19 years.
The fight was a stunning show of resilience and it shocked the boxing world. For the result, foreman fell crumbled in his corner and bath to prove the transformation that the brutal boxer had undergone.
Foreman would lose the 48 -year championship to Shannon Briggs, but he had proven that his comeback was justified and demonstrated that 40 is not a death sentence.
It was at this time that a new-friendly George became involved in notes. Beyond his terrifying, distant public image and instead he was friendly soft giant who appeared on TV. He helped with the design of the fat -lowering George Foreman Grill and he would earn more than $ 200 million from it.
The twice forming champion was included in the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.
He remained active as an incidental boxing analyst and brought an emotional audience tribute to Huhammad Ali when his former rival passed.
George is survived by his 12 children and his fifth wife Mary Joan.
