Boxer George Foreman, whose exploits as an Olympic gold medalist and heavyweight champion were eclipsed by his success as an infomercial pitch man, has died at the age of 76. His death on March 21 was announced by his family, who did not reveal the cause or place of his death.
Ghetto to gold
“I grew up in the Fifth Ward of Houston — the Bloody Fifth, we called it. Every weekend someone got killed.”
— George Foreman on his childhood.
Born George Edward Foreman on Jan. 10, 1949, in Marshall, Tx., he was raised in Houston. A product of that city’s infamous Fifth Ward, nicknamed “the Bloody Nickel,” George was an accomplished mugger and street thug before joining the Job Corps.
“Growing up poor, I didn’t even have a lunch to take to school,” he said, recalling those hardscrabble times.
In Pleasanton, Calif., Foreman encountered the trainer Doc Broadus, who gave the raw youth the discipline to harness his physical strength. By 1968 he was in Mexico City for the Olympics, where he won the gold medal. In that politically charged environment, he countered the Black Power exhibitions of sprinters John Carlos and Tommie Smith by strutting around the ring waving an American flag.
“I was a 19-year-old boy, and it was just amazing to be standing on top of the podium and hearing the National Anthem…” he said later.
Moving up the professional ranks he challenged the undefeated Joe Frazier in January of 1973 for the Heavyweight title as a 3-1 underdog. Within two rounds, Foreman knocked “Smokin’ Joe” to the canvas six times before being declared the winner by technical knockout.
Rumble in the Jungle
“Muhammad amazed me, I’ll admit it. He out-thought me, he out-fought me. That night, he was just the better man in the ring”
— George Foreman in the wake of the ‘Rumble in the Jungle.’
By October of 1974, Foreman was now the favorite as he faced deposed champ MuhammadAli, a 4–1 underdog. As a result, he may not have taken the highly publicized match that was held in the African country of Zaire (now the Congo) seriously.
“…in the bout with Muhammad Ali, I didn’t have any fear. I thought, ‘This is easy,” he said later.
During “The Rumble in the Jungle” Ali went against conventional wisdom by adopting a tactic that became known as the “rope-a-dope,” to sap Foreman’s strength by leaning away from him against the ropes, making his punches ineffective. In the eighth round Ali won by a knockout, solidifying his legend and demonstrating his tactical genius by changing his style. Engaging in a few lackluster fights (including a rematch victory over Frazier), Foreman became an ordained minister before stepping away from the ring 1977.
Epiphany
”…I said to myself, ‘George, you gotta just keep yourself busy. You gotta keep going.”
— George Foreman
On March 17, 1977, Foreman lost a 12 round decision to Jimmy Young in the tropical heat of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Afterwards in his dressing room, he suffered heat stroke to the point of hallucinating, and in his exhaustion had what he called a “near-death-experience.” Fatigued to the point of delirium, he became compelled to ask God to help him. This traumatic moment led him to become born-again, and fully embrace the ministry.
“I ran into the shower, turned on the water, and—hallelujah!—I was born again…That happened in March 1977, and I never have been the same again.” As proof of this conversation he began to demonstrate this commitment by preaching on street corners.
By 1987, he announced a comeback at the age of 38, to finance a youth center he had created, eventually regaining the title in 1994 at 45. At this time he became an informercial spokesman, advertising various products, most notably lending his name to the George Foreman grill in 1994, garnering more revenue than he’d made during his boxing career.
By Nov. 5, 1994, Foreman received a medical clearance from the state of Nevada, securing a heavyweight title fight against Michael Moorer, who’d wrestled the championship belt from Evander Holyfield that previous April 22. The bout was held at the MGM Grand Hotel in Paradise, Nev., with Moorer coming in at 6 feet 2 inches tall and 222 pounds. The former champ stood at 6 feet 3 inches tall and 250 pounds.
Moorer dominated his aging opponent for 10 rounds until Foreman caught him on the jaw with a short right, sending the younger man to the floor. At 45 years and 360 days, George Foreman became the oldest boxer to win the heavyweight crown.
Today, people are more likely to know the distinguished pugilist for the “Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine” that bears his name than for the considerable achievements accrued during his four decades in the ring. The exact tally for these earnings is nebulous at best, but in a 2014 interview he admitted that the estimate of $200 million was conservative.
“There were months I was being paid $8 million per month,” he recalled. He is survived by his last wife Mary Joan Martelly, and 11 children including five sons all named George Edward Foreman.
He once explained this choice by noting that “If you’re going to get hit as many times as I’ve been hit by Mohammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, Evander Holyfield – you’re not going to remember many names.” This illustrious athlete, businessman, and clergyman’s website is at https://www.georgeforeman.com.