Nationwide — George Edward Foreman Sr., the two-time heavyweight boxing champion and Olympic gold medalist who turned a beloved family identify by way of his bestselling George Foreman Grill, has died on the age of 76. His household introduced his passing on March 21, 2025, through his official Instagram web page sharing that he died peacefully surrounded by family members. Remembered not solely as a boxing icon but in addition as a preacher, devoted husband, father, and grandfather, Foreman leaves behind a legacy constructed on religion, perseverance, and reinvention.
Born in 1949 in Houston, Texas, Foreman grew up in poverty within the metropolis’s notorious Fifth Ward. He dropped out of college at 15 and have become concerned in crime earlier than becoming a member of the Job Corps at 16, the place he earned his GED and realized carpentry and bricklaying. It was there he found boxing, initially to shed extra pounds, and shortly discovered himself on a quick monitor to greatness. At 19, he gained a gold medal on the 1968 Olympics in Mexico Metropolis, famously waving a small American flag within the ring to precise his delight.
In response to Individuals, Foreman turned skilled in 1969 and shortly rose by way of the ranks, going undefeated till he fought and defeated Joe Frazier in 1973 to turn into the heavyweight champion. Nonetheless, certainly one of his most remembered fights got here a 12 months later in 1974, when he confronted Muhammad Ali within the historic “Rumble within the Jungle” in Zaire (the previous identify of the Democratic Republic of the Congo). Ali’s victory over Foreman turned legendary, and though Foreman by no means acquired a rematch, the 2 ultimately turned shut buddies. Foreman retired in 1977 after a religious awakening and have become a born-again Christian.
Going through monetary hardship, Foreman made a comeback in 1987 at age 38. He ultimately reclaimed the heavyweight title in 1994, defeating Michael Moorer and turning into the oldest heavyweight champion in historical past. His second run in boxing introduced him not solely extra victories however a brand new degree of fame, resulting in media appearances and endorsements. He retired for good in 1999 with a report of 76 wins and solely 5 losses.
Outdoors the ring, Foreman constructed a enterprise empire. He turned the face of the George Foreman Grill in 1994, and it went on to promote over 100 million models. He later turned a tv persona, appeared on The Masked Singer in 2022, and govt produced the 2023 biopic Massive George Foreman on Netflix. He additionally shared life classes by way of public talking and his private web site, GeorgeForeman.com.
Foreman fathered 12 kids, together with 5 sons all named George Edward Foreman, a convention he mentioned symbolized unity amongst them. He was married 4 occasions, most just lately to Mary Joan Martelly, whom he wed in 1985. Lately, Foreman confronted allegations of previous abuse, which he denied. He’s survived by his spouse, 11 of his kids, and quite a few grandchildren.
