Foreman exchanging punches with Muhammad Ali in their famous rumble in the jungle fight
George Foreman, the legend of trucks of boxing, has died at the age of 76said his family.
Known as Big George in the ring, the American competed for decades from the 1960s, winning gold at the Olympic Games and many title belts, including the world heavyweight title twice.
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Born George Edward Foreman on January 10, 1949 in Marshall, Texas, his amateur boxing career culminated at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, where he won a gold medal and signaled a little American flag after his victory.
In his autobiography, he said that he waved the flag “as much for me as for the country”.
“I made everyone who I was and at the same time said that I was proud to be American.”
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After having become a professional in 1969, he quickly accelerated the ranks. In 1972, he had a sequence of victories of 37 fights – including 35 knockouts. His first shot in the world heavyweight championship occurred in 1973 when he eliminated the world champion not hated then, Joe Frazier.
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Foreman won the title at the age of 24 and defended it successfully twice.
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Foreman then lost his title of heavy goods vehicle against Muhammad Ali in their famous Rumble of 1974 in the fight of the jungle. To exhaust against the foreman, Ali spent eight rounds relying on the strings, a tactic he called “cord-a dope”.
He has already called the “most embarrassing” moment of his life.
“I just couldn’t believe that I had lost the world title,” he said, adding: “It went from pride to pity. It is devastating.
His opponent, said Foreman, was “the hardest human being with whom I never had a meeting”.
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A big change occurred in 1977: shortly after losing a fight against the American boxer Jimmy Young, Foreman abandoned boxing and turned to religion, becoming Minister ordered in 1978. He then founded the George Foreman Youth and Community Center and the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He told the BBC that his defeat against Ali became the “best thing that never happened to me” because it finally led him to “send my message” through preaching.
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After almost ten years of boxing, Foreman decided to resume gloves in 1987 and return to the ring to collect funds for its youth center. During his successful return to sport, he won 24 games before losing against Evander Holyfield after 12 laps in 1991.
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In 1994, he took a hit in a new adventure, becoming the face of the George Foreman Grill – also known as “Lean Mean Grilling Machine”. In the boxing ring, he also became the oldest heavyweight champion aged 45 the same year. He retired from boxing three years later, in 1997, amazing an astonishing record of 76 victories and 5 defeats.
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Foreman had 12 children – including five sons who are all also named George. He is represented here with his son George III. He explained once he had named them after himself so that they “they would always have something in common”. He continued his work in the church until his death, preaching his ministry four times a week, according to his website.
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