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George Foreman is a retired American boxer who twice won boxing's heavyweight championship. After retiring, he became a popular pitchman.
Videos see all videos
George Foreman - Fighting for the Title
George Foreman discusses his fight for the heavyweight championship title at age 45.
Muhammad Ali - His Life and Times
Hana Ali, George Foreman, and Thomas Hauser, author of "Muhammad Ali: His Life and Time," describe Muhammad Ali's bold personality, his evolving religious views, and his outspoken activism. Video courtesy of Open Road Media.
Muhammad Ali - Rumble in the Jungle
Muhammad Ali talks about his "Rumble in the Jungle" bout with George Foreman in 1974.
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Play NowGeorge Foreman. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 06:16, May 25, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/george-foreman-9298881.
George Foreman. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/george-foreman-9298881 [Accessed 25 May 2013].
"George Foreman." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 25 2013, 06:16 http://www.biography.com/people/george-foreman-9298881.
"George Foreman," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/george-foreman-9298881 [accessed May 25, 2013].
"George Foreman," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/george-foreman-9298881 (accessed May 25, 2013).
George Foreman [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 25] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/george-foreman-9298881.
George Foreman, http://www.biography.com/people/george-foreman-9298881 (last visited May 25, 2013).
George Foreman. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/george-foreman-9298881. Accessed May 25, 2013.
Synopsis
Born on January 10, 1949, in Marshall, Texas, George Foreman won Olympic gold in 1968, and powered through boxing's heavyweight division to become world champion in 1973. He returned to the ring after a 10-year hiatus and amazingly became world champion a second time at age 45, before embarking on a successful post-boxing career as a pitchman and entrepreneur.
Contents
Quotes
"I loved boxing, but I really loved selling myself more than anything."
"All my sons are named George Foreman. They all know where they came from."
From Mean Streets to Olympic Gold
George Edward Foreman was born on January 10, 1949, in Marshall, Texas, and grew up in Houston's rough Fifth Ward district. A self-proclaimed thug, he dropped out of school in the ninth grade, and ran with street gangs until he joined the Job Corps in 1965.
The Job Corps provided Foreman with a connection to boxing trainer Doc Broaddus, who encouraged him to apply his fighting skills in the ring. Foreman adapted quickly enough that he was named to the U.S. Olympic boxing team for the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. In October 1968, Foreman won the gold medal in the heavyweight boxing division with a second-round technical knockout of the Soviet Union's Ionas Chepulis. He went pro shortly afterward.
Rise and Fall of a Champ
At 6 feet 3 1/2 inches and 218 pounds, Foreman was a fearsome ring presence who brutalized opponents with his raw power. He won his first 37 professional fights before earning a shot at heavyweight champion "Smokin'" Joe Frazier on Jan 22, 1973, in Kingston, Jamaica. Foreman was a decided underdog against Frazier, but he shockingly knocked the champ down six times over the course of two rounds to claim the heavyweight crown.
Foreman's reign ended with a loss to Muhammad Ali in the legendary "Rumble in the Jungle" title bout in Kinshasa, Zaire, on October 30, 1974. Employing his "rope-a-dope" technique, Ali leaned back against the ropes to deflect Foreman's thunderous punches, then turned aggressor and floored the bigger man in the eighth round. It was Foreman's only defeat by knockout in his professional career.
Foreman's quest for another title shot was derailed with a loss to nimble-footed Jimmy Young in March of 1977. Exhausted and dehydrated after the fight, Foreman claimed to have a religious awakening and retired. He went on to become a non-denominational Christian minister and found the George Foreman Youth and Community Center in Houston.
Comeback King
Ten years after his loss to Young, at age 38—and with an extra 50 pounds and a friendlier public persona in tow—Foreman returned to professional boxing.
Foreman failed to impress in his comeback win over Steve Zouski, but he worked himself into better shape as he knocked out a string of improving opponents, and was eventually given a title shot against heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield. Although he lost a bout to Holyfield on April 19, 1991, in Atlantic City, Foreman earned praise for going the distance against the younger champion.
Clad in the same red trunks he wore during his bout against Ali, the 45-year-old Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer in the 10th round of their title fight on November 5, 1994, to become the oldest heavyweight champ in history.
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Million-Dollar Ideas
View groupWith innovative ideas and charismatic personalities, many African-Americans have made lasting contributions to the country, while also earning millions. Oprah Winfrey emerged as a world-famous one-woman brand with her show, eventually becoming the world's first black billionaire. Robert L. Johnson started BET, the cable channel geared towards African-Americans. Athlete Michael Jordan turned into a household name through numerous endorsement deals. These people were among the first African-Americans to overcome the obstacles of discrimination and achieve top honors in their fields. With talent and determination, each one reinvented not only what it meant to be an African-American, but also what it meant to be an American.
Million-Dollar Ideas 9 people in this group
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Olympic Boxers
View groupBoxing was first introduced as an Olympic event at the 1904 Summer Olympics. Since then, the Games have introduced us to future boxing legends. In 1960, boxer Muhammad Ali won a spot on the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team, returning home that year with a gold medal. At the 1976 Olympics, Sugar Ray Leonard won the gold medal in light-waterweight boxing, with the heavyweight title awarded to Leon Spinks. These men join the group of fighters, from George Foreman to Floyd Mayweather, who have made history in their run for Olympic Gold. Biography looks at some of the hardest hitters in Olympic boxing history.
Olympic Boxers 10 people in this group
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Celebrities Who've Written Children's Books
View groupYou'll be surprised by some of the names included in Biography.com's group of celebrities who've written children's books. Dozens of celebs have penned literary works specially designed for kids, including Madonna, Billy Crystal, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jerry Seinfeld, Katie Couric, Whoopi Goldberg, Jay Leno and Queen Latifah. Find out who else has ventured into the imaginative world of children's books.
Celebrities Who've Written Children's Books 43 people in this group
