George Foreman, boxing champion and entrepreneur, dies aged 76 | George Foreman

Boxing Corridor of Famer and entrepreneur George Foreman has died at age 76, his household has introduced in an Instagram publish on his account.

“With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved George Edward Foreman Sr. who peacefully departed on March 21, 2025 surrounded by family members,” the publish learn.

Foreman, a heavyweight champion boxer, was “a religious preacher, a faithful husband, a loving father, and a proud grand and nice grandfather”, the household’s assertion stated.

“A humanitarian, an Olympian, and two time heavyweight champion of the world. He was deeply revered – a power for good, a person of self-discipline, conviction, and a protector of his legacy, combating tirelessly to protect his good title – for his household.

“We’re grateful for the outpouring of affection and prayers, and kindly ask for privateness as we honor the extraordinary lifetime of a person we had been blessed to name our personal.”

An intimidating, thunderous puncher who misplaced his first title to Muhammad Ali of their well-known Rumble within the Jungle in 1974, “Huge George” was a extra rotund, jovial determine when he knocked out Michael Moorer for his second crown 20 years later.

Foreman’s comeback and the fortune he made promoting fat-wicking electrical cooking grills made him an icon of self-improvement and success.

Quickly after his beginning in Marshall, Texas, on 10 January 1949, his household moved to Houston the place he and his six siblings had been raised by a single mom. Rising up poor within the segregated American South, Foreman dropped out of junior highschool and used his dimension and fists in avenue robberies.

The Job Corps, a part of President Lyndon B Johnson’s Nice Society reforms, “rescued me from the gutter”, Foreman later wrote. Via this system, 16-year-old Foreman moved out of Texas and was inspired to channel his rage and rising bulk into boxing.

At age 19 and in his twenty fifth beginner struggle, Foreman captured the heavyweight boxing gold medal on the 1968 Olympics in Mexico Metropolis. Turning professional, he received 37 straight matches on his technique to face reigning champion Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica, profitable by technical knockout in spherical two.

Foreman defended the belt twice extra earlier than assembly Ali in Kinshasa, Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in one of the crucial celebrated boxing matches in historical past.

Ali had been stripped of his crown seven years prior for refusing to be drafted into the Vietnam struggle and got here into the match a heavy underdog in opposition to the larger, youthful champion. However for seven rounds, Ali lay in opposition to the ropes and fended off Foreman’s clubbing blows, tiring and knocking him out within the eighth spherical.

“I used to be one robust heavyweight punching fighter,” Foreman instructed Reuters in 2007. “I used to be one punching machine, and that was the primary time I delivered every little thing I had and nothing labored.”

The loss devastated Foreman. He took a 12 months off earlier than returning to the ring after which, after a second skilled loss, retired in 1977 to turn out to be an ordained minister within the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

A decade later and significantly heavier at 143kg (315lb), Foreman staged an unlikely return to the ring to boost cash for a youth centre he based in Texas.

He went on to win 24 straight matches, step by step slimming alongside the way in which, earlier than dropping to Evander Holyfield in a 12-round resolution in 1991. Three years later, he knocked out undefeated southpaw Moorer to turn out to be the oldest ever heavyweight champion at age 45.

Foreman’s final struggle was in 1997, ending his profession with knowledgeable report of 76 wins and 5 losses.

Foreman was married 4 occasions within the Seventies and Nineteen Eighties. In 1985, he married for the fifth time to Mary Joan Martelly, with whom he remained for the remainder of his life. He had 5 sons – all known as George – 5 organic daughters and two adopted daughters.

All through the Nineteen Nineties and after retirement, he was an enthusiastic pitchman for numerous merchandise, most notably an electrical grill from dwelling equipment maker Salton Inc. In 1999, the corporate paid Foreman and his companions $137.5m to place his title on the grill and different items.

“What I do is fall in love with each product I promote,” Foreman wrote in his autobiography, By George. “That’s what sells. Similar to with preaching.”