Boxing Legend & Grill Magnate George Foreman died Friday surrounded by loved ones, his family said
The family of “Big” George Foreman, one of the most influential and recognizable boxers of all time, announced his passing on his social media account on Friday.
“Our hearts are broken. With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved George Edward Foreman Sr. who peacefully departed on March 21, 2025, surrounded by loved ones. A devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand and great grandfather, he lived a life marked by unwavering faith, humility, and purpose,” the IG post read.
A product of a poor family, Foreman was in constant trouble with the law. He credits the Job Corps with turning his life around. Started boxing as an amateur and, in less than three years, captured a gold medal in the 1968 Olympic Games. Lost only 2 out of 24 amateur fights. Turned pro under the guidance of veteran trainer Dick Saddler. Foreman was a stablemate of former heavyweight king Charles “Sonny” Liston and Charlie Snips. Foreman idolized Liston and copied his ring style and mannerisms. Foreman used a piercing stare to intimidate his opponents ala Liston.
In 1973, he won his first of two heavyweight champions when he knocked out Joe Frazier, in 1964 during a bout in Jamaica. Destroyed undefeated Joe Frazier in two brutal rounds to capture the world title in 1973; Frazier was knocked down six times.
Foreman lost the title one year later in the famous “Rumble in the Jungle” against Muhammed Ali in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). That was perhaps his most well-known battle, the classic Rumble in the Jungle matchup with Muhammad Ali in Zaire in 1974, which Foreman lost by knockout in the eighth round. Arguably the most well-known fight in history, the documentary “When We Were Kings” received an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature.
He stepped away from boxing for a decade and returned to Texas. His life took a complete 180-degree turn as he became an ordained minister, and, in 1984, founded the George Foreman Youth and Community Center.
Foreman came out of retirement in 1987 to raise money for the youth center he founded. He won 24 matches before losing to Evander Holyfield after 12 rounds in 1991. On November 5, 1994, 45-year-old George Foreman, shocked the world by knocking out Michael Moorer 19 years his junior – with one perfect combination to claim Moorer’s two heavyweight belts. He became the oldest heavyweight champion ever, 20 years after that stunning loss to Ali. Foreman is also the second-oldest in any weight class.
He retired for good in 1997 at the age of 48, with a final record of 76 wins, 68 coming by way of knockout, and just 5 losses.
Alongside Jim Lampley – best known as a blow-by-blow announcer on HBO World Championship Boxing for 30 years – Foreman had a prosperous career as an HBO boxing pundit. He held his role with HBO as a ringside analyst for 12 years, ending in 2004.
His biggest achievement after his stint in the ring, however, was still to come. Foreman introduced his own grill the same year he defeated Moorer. Over 100 million grills were sold by him globally, thanks in part to his memorable catchphrase, the “Lean Mean Grilling Machine.” He made $138 million in 1999 when he sold the George Foreman grill’s commercial rights.
In 2002, The Ring ranked Foreman among the top 25 fighters of the previous 80 years and ranked him as the ninth-greatest puncher of all time. According to a release from Top Rank, Foreman is “one of the biggest punchers and personalities the sport has ever seen.”
Born in Marshall, Texas in 1949, Foreman, who admittedly was a bully in his youth, joined the Job Corps at 16 years old before turning to boxing at 17. Foreman was married five times. He has a dozen children. Five of his sons are named George. He explained on his website that he named them after himself so they “they would always have something in common.”
“I say to them, ‘If one of us goes up, then we all go up together,” he explained. “And if one goes down, we all go down together!'”
His daughter, Freeda George, is a professional on the US women’s boxing circuit. Middleweight Freeda George Foreman, born on October 16, 1976, in Houston, Texas, boxed in 2001 and 2002. She joined forces shortly after other Daughters of Boxing Legends joined the sport. George Foreman was not really happy about her deciding on boxing.
Big George was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, in 1990 and into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, in 2003. He was never knocked down during his” second career” (31-3 1987-1997). Amazingly, in each fight. he remained standing between rounds.
