Oldest Heavyweight Champion George Foreman Dies at 76
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Houston, Texas (March 22nd, 2025)– 1968 Olympic Heavyweight Gold Medalist, former World Heavyweight Champion ‘Big’ George Foreman, also called, Reverend George Foreman who was known for the 1974 ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ with Muhammad Ali, passed away Friday, March 21, 2025, at age 76 in Houston.
Between 1969 and 1997, Foreman compiled a professional record of 76 wins, five losses, with 68 knockouts. After winning the World heavyweight title by knocking Smokin’ Joe Frazier down six times in two rounds in 1973 at National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica, Foreman defended the title twice against Joe Roman and Ken Norton. His only knockout loss, in the 1974 Ring Magazine Fight of the Year, was an eighth-round knockout loss to the late Muhammad Ali in ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’ in Kinshasa, Zaire, in which Ali regained the World Heavyweight title which had been stripped from him. Due to avoiding the United States Military draft. Ali was stripped of the title after defending the title against Zora Folley at Madison Square Garden in 1967.
Foreman won the 1976 Ring Magazine Fight of the Year at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, knocking out Ron Lyle in a no defense slugfest with numerous knockouts of both combatants. Despite winning five comeback bouts, Foreman retired after getting knocked down in a 12-round loss to Jimmy Young at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in 1977. After becoming a preacher, and pitching the George Foreman Grill in endorsements, Foreman made a comeback in 1987, winning many comeback bouts. After falling short in title bouts with Evander Holyfield and Tommy Morrison by 12-round decision, Foreman regained the World Heavyweight title at age 45 with Ali trainer Angelo Dundee in his corner by tenth-round knockout in 1994 over Michael Moorer, becoming the third person after Floyd Patterson and Ali, and oldest person ever to regain the World Heavyweight title.
Though retired after a controversial 12-round loss to Shannon Briggs at Trump Taj Mahal Atlantic City in 1997, Foreman worked as an HBO sports commentator for many years. Most notably, Foreman was at ringside for Riddick Bowe versus Andrew Golota I at Madison Square Garden in 1996, when Golota was disqualified for repeated low blows in the sixth round in a bout he was winning. A melee then ensued inside and outside the ring, and Foreman tried to help, explaining to fellow HBO commentator Larry Merchant at ringside after the riot that “I think it was really an accident. He (Golota) was fighting a taller guy and he was not accustomed to it. His waist was real high. It wasn’t intentional. He was winning the fight.” In late 2023, Foreman sold off his 52-car and bus collection.
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