Heavyweight boxing icon George Foreman dies at 76

Boxing heavyweight icon George Foreman has passed away at the age of 76, his family has confirmed.

Nicknamed 'Big George' in the ring, the American athlete carved out one of the most extraordinary and enduring careers in boxing history. He won an Olympic gold medal in 1968 and claimed the world heavyweight title twice — 21 years apart. His second victory made him the oldest heavyweight champion in history at 45.

Foreman first lost his title to the late Muhammad Ali in their legendary 'Rumble in the Jungle' fight in 1974. However, his professional boxing career was nothing short of remarkable, boasting 76 wins, including 68 knockouts — nearly double that of Ali.

Retiring from the sport in 1997, Foreman made a financial decision that far surpassed his boxing earnings — lending his name to a best-selling grill that became a household success.

On Friday night, his family shared a heartfelt statement on Instagram: "Our hearts are broken. 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 tribute continued: "A humanitarian, an Olympian, and two-time heavyweight champion of the world, he was deeply respected—a force for good, a man of discipline, conviction, and a protector of his legacy, fighting tirelessly to preserve his good name—for his family."

Born on 10 January 1949 in Marshall, Texas, Foreman grew up in the segregated American South, raised by a single mother alongside six siblings. In his early years, he dropped out of school and was involved in street robberies before discovering his true calling in boxing.

At just 19, Foreman won a heavyweight gold medal at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City before transitioning to a professional career, where he secured 37 consecutive victories. Throughout his career, he suffered only five defeats.

In 1973, he delivered a dominant performance against reigning champion Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica, knocking him down six times within the first two rounds. His 1974 bout against Ali in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), remains one of the most iconic matches in boxing history.

Ali, seen as the underdog after being stripped of his title years earlier for refusing military service during the Vietnam War, was expected to be outmatched by the younger Foreman. Reflecting on the fight 50 years later, Foreman recalled in an October interview with BBC World Service Newshour that most people assumed he would easily defeat Ali. "Oh, he's not going to last one round," he recalled the predictions of boxing experts at the time.

Speaking to the BBC, Foreman admitted he usually felt "real nervous" with "butterflies" before a match, but on that particular night, he was the "most comfortable" he had ever been.

However, Ali employed a clever strategy later known as "rope-a-dope," allowing Foreman to exhaust himself by throwing hundreds of punches. In the eighth round, Ali seized the moment, launching a series of punches that knocked Foreman out.

After another loss, Foreman retired in 1977 and devoted himself to his faith, becoming an ordained minister at the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Texas — a place he founded and built. His defeat to Ali, he later admitted, was "the best thing that ever happened to me" as it led him to spread his message through preaching.

Starting small with sermons on street corners and among friends, Foreman’s ministry grew over time. "We began meeting informally at various homes in Houston, and before long, the crowds became too large for most houses to accommodate," he shared on his website. "Eventually, we bought a piece of land and an old, dilapidated building on the north-east side of Houston."

Foreman made an unexpected return to boxing in 1987 to raise funds for a youth centre he had established. He won 24 matches before losing to Evander Holyfield after 12 rounds in 1991. Then, in 1994, Foreman made history by knocking out Michael Moorer to reclaim the heavyweight title at 45, becoming the oldest champion in history.

Beyond boxing, Foreman became a marketing sensation, promoting the George Foreman Grill. Since its launch in 1994, millions of units have been sold, boosted by his famous catchphrase, the 'Lean Mean Grilling Machine'.

Foreman was married five times and fathered 12 children. His five sons all share the name George. On his website, he explained his reasoning: "I named them after myself so they would always have something in common. 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!'"

With agency inputs