Boxing legend George Foreman dead at 76

 

George Foreman, an American professional boxer who tangled with Muhammad Ali in the epic “Rumble in the Jungle” heavyweight championship fight before embarking on a lifetime of reinventions as a minister, youth counselor, cookbook author and TV pitchman for his own line of big and tall menswear, has died.

His family has published in an Instagram post on his account

“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 post 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,” his family wrote on Instagram.

While Foreman was best known for his ability in the ring, he also was a successful entrepreneur. 

George Edward Foreman was born in Marshall, Texas, but grew up in Houston's Fifth Ward, and was raised alongside his six siblings by a single mother. Foreman was open about his troublesome childhood. He dropped out of school at the age of 15 and became a "mugger and brawler."

An Olympic gold medalist and two-time heavyweight champion, Foreman competed between 1967 and 1997. He learned to box at age 16, won Olympic gold at 19. He stopped Frazier in an upset in Jamaica in January 1973 to win the belt, with his knockout inspiring Howard Cosell's iconic call: "Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!"

Foreman quit the ring for good in 1997.  He became a boxing analyst for HBO and as a pitchman for the grills that grew his fame and fortune. A documentary movie based on his life was produced in 2023.