The death of heavyweight boxing legend, George Foreman shook the boxing world on Saturday with many paying glowing tributes to the boxing icon. He was regarded as one of the hardest punchers in boxing history and recorded more knockouts that any boxer in the heavyweight division.
Here are 20 astonishing facts about the late boxing legend George Foreman:
1. Olympic Gold at 19 – Foreman won the gold medal in the heavyweight division at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics after only a few years of boxing.
2. Iconic Flag Celebration – After winning Olympic gold, he famously paraded around the ring waving a small U.S. flag, a moment that defined his early career.
3. Devastating Knockout Artist – Foreman recorded 68 knockouts in his professional career, with an 89.5% knockout ratio, making him one of the hardest hitters in boxing history.
4. Crushing Joe Frazier – Foreman demolished the undefeated heavyweight champion Joe Frazier in just two rounds in 1973, knocking him down six times.
5. Down Goes Frazier – Howard Cosell’s legendary call during the Foreman-Frazier fight cemented Foreman’s dominance in boxing history.
6. First Defeat Came from Ali – Foreman suffered his first professional loss against Muhammad Ali in the legendary 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle,” where Ali used the rope-a-dope strategy to tire him out.
7. Retired After a Religious Awakening – Foreman retired from boxing in 1977 after a near-death experience in the ring, leading him to become a Christian minister.
8. Shocking Comeback at 38 – A decade after retiring, Foreman made a stunning comeback in 1987, initially seen as a publicity stunt, but he went on to reclaim world titles.
9. Oldest Heavyweight Champion – In 1994, at age 45, Foreman became the oldest heavyweight champion in history by knocking out Michael Moorer.
10. 20-Year Gap Between Titles – Foreman won his first heavyweight title in 1973 and reclaimed it in 1994, making it the longest gap between title reigns in boxing history.
11. A Knockout in His Last Title Fight – His final championship win against Michael Moorer made him the oldest fighter to win a major boxing title.
12. Undefeated in His 40s – From the time he returned to boxing in 1987 until his retirement in 1997, Foreman never suffered a knockout loss.
13. Inventor of the George Foreman Grill – Outside the ring, Foreman became a household name by endorsing the George Foreman Grill, which sold over 100 million units.
14. $138 Million Payday – Foreman sold the naming rights of the grill for a staggering $138 million, making more money from it than he did in his boxing career.
15. Boxing Hall of Famer – Foreman was inducted into both the World Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
16. Ranked Among the Greatest – The Ring magazine ranked him as one of the 25 greatest fighters of the last 80 years and the 9th greatest puncher of all time.
17, HBO Commentator for 12 Years – After retiring, he became a highly respected ringside analyst for HBO Boxing from 1992 to 2004.
18. Sparred with Sonny Liston – Foreman trained with the feared ex-champion Sonny Liston, whom he called “the scariest man” he ever faced in the ring.
19. Had 12 Children – Foreman had 12 children, and five of his sons were all named George Foreman to continue his legacy.
20. Once a Street Mugger – Before turning to boxing, Foreman was a troubled youth involved in street crime, but the sport transformed his life completely.
Foreman’s life was a true rags-to-riches story filled with incredible moments inside and outside the ring!
