Boxing legend, family man and tireless entrepreneur George Foreman died at the age of 76 on Friday, his loved ones confirmed on social media.
The Olympic gold medalist was known for a great many things, including his “Rumble in the Jungle” loss to Muhammad Ali, in 1976, and how he − incredibly − became the oldest world heavyweight champion in history at the age of 46 in 1997.
Throughout his storied boxing career, Foreman won 76 of 81 total fights, and was later inducted into both the World Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Aside from the sport he pursued a wide array of interests, from television and an infamous kitchen appliance to books and the ministry.
‘My life is much more than boxing – I’ve been knocked out more outside the ring than in the ring,’ Foreman told USA TODAY in 2023.
Here’s what else you need to know about Foreman.
Widely known for two historic comeback fights
Long before he was a Hall of Famer, Foreman won an Olympic gold medal first in 1968 when waved a small American flag across four corners of an auditorium in Mexico City.
Though Foreman is known for his many victories in the ring, one of his most memorable fights was when he lost to Muhammad Ali in the famous battle ‘Rumble in the Jungle.’
The spectacle took place on Oct. 30, 1974, when a then-25-year-old Foreman took on a 32-year-old Ali at the Stade des Martyrs stadium in In Zaire. An underdog, Ali made a comeback after losing his world title when he declined to be drafted for the Vietnam War.
Foreman returned to boxing in 1987 at the age of 38 after a 10-year hiatus from the ring and managed a historic comeback in 1994 when, at the age of 46, he defeated 26-year-old Michael Moorer after coming out of retirement.
Foreman had 12 children, including 5 sons named George
While balancing an illustrious career, Foreman also cemented his status as great father to 12 children, including five sons named after him.
George Jr., George III, George Foreman IV, George Foreman V and George Foreman VI share the same name as Foreman, who wanted them to never feel disconnected from their family or their past, according his 2001 memoir ‘George Foreman’s Guide to Life.’
‘I named all my sons George Edward Foreman so they would always have something in common,’ Foreman wrote on his website. ‘I say to them, ‘If one of us goes up, then we all go up together. And if one goes down, we all go down together!”
Foreman starred in sitcom and reality travel show
Since his retirement, Foreman tried out various television projects, including the self-titled “George” sitcom in which he played a retired boxer helping troubled kids in an after-school program. The show, produced by actor Tony Danza, aired in 1993 and 1994 on ABC.
The show starred Sheryl Lee Ralph as Foreman’s wife before she skyrocketed to fame with her Emmy-winning turn in “Abbott Elementary.”
“My heart is with the Foreman family today,” Ralph posted on Threads. “George had a smile as wide as his spirit and a heart full of kindness. I’ll never forget how eager he was to learn, grow, and give his all.”
She shared a couple images from their show, saying they took her back to 1993.
“From the ring to the screen, he showed up with joy, humility, and heart,” she said. “Rest well, my friend.”
More recently, Foreman appeared on a charming reality travel show about aging famous men getting out of their comfort zone. In “Better Late Than Never,” Foreman traveled to Japan, China, Germany, Sweden, Spain, and Morroco alongside fellow legendary athlete Terry Bradshaw and actors William Shatner, and Henry Winkler.
The show aired on NBC from 2016 to 2018, when Foreman was in his late 60s. He posted on X that the globetrotting experience “made me a better person.”
In 2023, Khris Davis played Foreman in the biopic, ‘Big George Foreman.’
Also known for as author, ordained minister and grillmaster
Foreman was a man of many talents and interests.
Among those he was best known for was his George Foreman Grill, which became a staple in many American households in the late 1990s and early 2000s after the legend endorsed the electric gadget in an infomercial in which he famously said: “It’s so good, I put my name on it.”
Foreman sold the grill as a tool for Americans to get healthier and as a way for people who wanted the flavor of a grill without as much hassle.
Immediately following Foreman’s retirement, he became an ordained minister, started preaching on a Houston radio show and led informal Bible studies. That eventually led him to host outdoor “revival” services while renovating an old building on the northeast side of Houston and turning it into a church, according to Foreman’s website.
Foreman has written multiple books, including “Knockout Entrepreneur,” aimed at sharing his keys to success.
“The world is full of people who want to play it safe, people who have tremendous potential but never use it,” Foreman wrote in the 2010 book. “Somewhere deep inside them, they know that they could do more in life, be more, and have more – if only they were willing to take a few risks.”
