Known as a tough boxing champion, “Big” George Foreman grew up in poverty in the small town of Marshall, Texas. The fifth of seven children, his father, a railroad worker, and his mother, a housewife, worked hard, but due to a lack of finances, he moved to Houston in what was known as the fifth ward, a rough area
George dropped out of school, and the streets had led him astray. He found himself in the pool hall and game houses. He found himself in fights all the time because of his size. He was rebellious at home and would disappear for days.
In 1965, at the age of fifteen, he joined the Job Corps, where George met a supervisor and boxing trainer, Doc Broadus, who found in him not only strength, but aggression. George, at first, was not interested in boxing, but found it to be an outlet for his anger, a way to focus his energy. Under Broadus he learned discipline.
In just three years George found himself a rising start in the world of boxing. In 1968, he represented the United States in the Olympics in Mexico. He won the Gold Medal and walking around the ring waving an American flag was iconic.
It led him into a professional boxing career under trainer Dick Sadler and legendary promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank. Turned professional in June 1969, winning his first thirty-seven fights, thirty-four by KO, including a stoppage over Canadian George Chuvalo, 59-15-2, and a decision over South American contender Gregorio “Goro” Peralta, 74 years old. -5-8, both at Madison Square Garden.
In January 1973 in Kingston, Jamaica, George stopped undefeated champion, 29-0, and former Olympic gold medalist “Smokin” Joe Frazier, who had lost six times, in two rounds. After defeating Joe ‘King’ Roman, 44-7-1, in Tokyo in the first round and future champion Ken Norton, 30-2, coming off a two-fight split with Ali, Caracas, Venezuela, stopping him in two rounds. , faced former champion Muhammad Ali, 44-2, in Zaire, Africa, losing his title in eight rounds.
Foreman returned with wins over Ron Lyle, 31-3-1, in a fight Ring Magazine named the fight of 1976 “Fight of the Year”. For four rounds, they traded punch after punch until he stopped Lyle in the fifth round. Then, the return match with Frazier dropped him twice in the fifth before stopping.
Then, after scoring three bouts, he faced Philly’s Jimmy Young, 20-5-2, in San Juan, PR, falling in the twelfth and final round, losing a decision in June 1977, and retired from the ring. In his dressing room, he saw a vision of Jesus Christ, which eventually led him into the ministry.
George will return to the ring after an absence of almost ten years, winning twenty-four fights in a row, facing the champion Evander ‘The Real Deal Holyfield, 25-0, in Atlantic City, losing by decision.
After winning three fights, George would lose to Tommy “The Duke” Morrison, 36-1, in Las Vegas. However, despite the November 1994 loss, he will fight for the 45-year-old world title against WBA and IBF champion Michael ‘Double M’ Moorer, 35-0, in Las Vegas. After all the scorecards he knocked out Moorer in the tenth round for the title.
George was stripped of his WBA title when he refused to fight Tony ‘TNT’ Tucker. He returned to the ring in April 1995, winning a controversial majority decision over Germany’s Axel Schulz, 21-1-1, in Las Vegas, adding the vacant WBU title. He was later stripped of his IBF title for refusing to give Schulz a rematch.
In November 1996, George returned to the ring in Japan, defeating Crawford ‘The Terminator’ Grimsley, 20-0, in 12 rounds, adding the IBA belt. In April 1997, he won a split decision over Lou Savarese, 36-0, in Atlantic City.
In November, George’s career came to an end, losing a controversial decision to Shannon ‘The Cannon’ Briggs, 29-1, in Atlantic City. His final record was 76-5 with 68 knockouts.
George is going to make a fortune selling the George Foreman Grill.
