George Foreman, one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time and a successful business leader, has passed away. He was 76.
Foreman’s passing was confirmed on his Instagram account on Friday, March 21st.
“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,” the statement read.
“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 statement concluded.
Born on January 10, 1949 in Marshall, Texas, his parents were Nancy Ree (Nelson) Foreman and J.D. Foreman, a railroad construction worker. Later in life, he learned that his biological father was a man named Leroy Moorehead.
As a teenager, he was the local bully and committed small crimes. When he dropped out of school, he joined the Job Corps at 16. His life changed when he took up boxing at age 17.
Just a year and a half later, he was fighting at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968, winning a gold medal by defeating Ionas Chepulis of the Soviet Union by a second-round knockout. At the same Olympics where Tommie Smith and John Carlos famously protested during the singing of the national anthem with clenched fists raised, Foreman was seen waving a small American flag during his victory celebration in the ring,
“I was just glad to be an American,” Foreman said afterward. “Some people have tried to make something of it, calling me an Uncle Tom, but I’m not. I just believe people should live together in peace.”
After turning pro in 1969, he became a devastating force in the world, often fighting 12 times in a calendar year. Regarded as one of the hardest punchers in the sport, he compiled a record of 37-0 and earned a shot at a world heavyweight title against Joe Frazier in 1973 in Kingston, Jamaica.
Billed the “Sunshine Showdown,” Foreman was a 3-1 underdog but dominated throughout the two-round bout on his way to becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion. He knocked him down six times before the contest was stopped. Howard Cosell, who called the fight, famously captured every knockdown by saying, “Down goes Frazier!”
Foreman would go on to hold the title for almost two years, defending it twice before facing another boxing icon, Muhammad Ali, in a classic fight, “The Rumble in the Jungle.” Held in Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo), on October 30, 1974, Foreman, a heavy favorite, was knocked out by Ali in the eighth round.
The loss had a devastating impact on Foreman. He had five more wins, including another one over Frazier, but retired in 1977 after losing to Jimmy Young.
While in retirement, he became a Christian minister in Houston and started to work at a youth center.
But in 1987, he launched one of the most improbable comebacks in the history of sports by returning to the ring at 38 years old.“I want to be champion again,” he said at the time. “I’ve got a three-year plan. I want to start at the bottom. Train harder than any man in the world. Fight once a month.”
Foreman also admitted that money was the driving force behind his comeback.
“You know that story about how you have four pockets in your pants, and you better save what’s in one pocket so you can live?” he said. “I saved one pocket. I’ve got money for steak and potatoes. But the other three pockets I just blew.”
Foreman won 24 straight fights at age 42 and fought Evander Holyfield for the heavyweight championship in 1991. Foreman lost in the unanimous decision.
Foreman’s comeback was complete when took on champion Michael Mooerer in 1994. After taking a beating for most of the fight, Foreman knocked out Moorer in the 10th round in Las Vegas. He became the second two-time champion and the oldest champ at 45 years old wearing the same trunks he wore the night he fought Ali in 1974.
In his final fight, he lost to Shannon Briggs at age 48 in 1997. He also served as a boxing analyst for HBO and was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.
As successful as he was in the ring, Foreman was even more successful as a businessman. During his comeback, he was approached by Salton, Inc. (formerly Russell Hobbs, Inc.) to be a spokesperson for its fat-reducing grill. He struck a deal to be paid about 40% of the profits on each grill sold, earning him $4.5 million a month at its peak. In 1999, he was paid $138 million in 1999 for the naming rights. As of today, the George Foreman Grill has sold more than 100 million units and is remembered fondly in households across America for the culinary tool’s convenience and wide usage.
In 2023, Big George Foreman, a biopic about his life, was released. Foreman was played by Khris Davis. The George Tillman Jr. directed film also stars Jasmine Mathews, John Magaro, Sullivan Jones, Lawrence Gilliard Jr., Sonja Sohn and Forest Whitaker.
Foreman is survived by his wife, Mary Joan Martelly, whom he married in 1985. He was married on four other occasions. He’s also survived by his six daughters: Natalia, Leola, Michi, Georgetta, Isabella and Courtney Foreman. His sons, who are all named George, and his brother Roy Foreman.
A was predeceased by another daughter, Freeda Foreman, who died in 2019.
We at EBONY extend our deepest condolences and prayers to the family and friends of George Foreman.
