Boxer, born in Marshall, Texas, USA. Reared in the black ghetto of Houston, he learned to box in a Job Corps camp in Oregon. In the Mexico City Olympic Games (1968) he won the gold medal in the heavyweight class. He turned professional in 1969, and became the world heavyweight champion in 1973, knocking out Joe Frazier, but lost the title to Muhammad Ali in 1974. He later won the US heavyweight championship, defeating Ron Lyle, and successfully defended the title against Joe Frazier in 1976. Foreman retired in 1977, but made a surprise return to the ring as a contender for the world title against Evander Holyfield in 1991, losing on points. He regained a version of his title in 1994, at the age of 45, by which time he had become a preacher.
| George Foreman | |
| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Real name | George Edward Foreman |
| Nickname | "Big George" |
| Weight | Heavyweight |
| Nationality | American |
| Birth date | January 10, 1949 |
| Birth place | Marshall, Texas, USA |
| Style | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 81 |
| Wins | 76 |
| Wins by KO | 68 |
| Losses | 5 |
| Draws | 0 |
| No contests | 0 |
| Olympic medal record | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Boxing | |||
| Gold | 1968 Mexico City | Heavyweight | |
George Edward Foreman (born January 10, 1949) is a two-time World boxing Champion considered one of the greatest Heavyweights of all time.
Early years and amateur career
Foreman was born in Marshall, Texas. While stationed in Oregon, Foreman became infamous for his belligerent attitude, often picking fights with his fellow trainees.
Foreman had a stellar amateur career as he achieved remarkable record of 16 victories in 18 fights.
Professional career
Foreman turned professional in 1969 with a three round knockout of Donald Walheim in New York.
In 1970, Foreman continued rolling on, winning all 12 bouts, all by knockout. Among the opponents he beat were Gregorio Peralta, who was knocked out by Foreman in the fourth round, at the Madison Square Garden, George Chuvalo, who was known for having one of the most solid chins in boxing, was beaten in three by TKO, Charlie Polite, who lasted four, and Boone Kirkman, knocked out in three.
In 1971, Foreman won seven more fights, including a rematch with Peralta, whom he defeated by knockout in the tenth and last round in Oakland, California and a win over Leroy Caldwell, who went in the second.
With that, Foreman was set to challenge for the world's Heavyweight championship, and so, in January 22, 1973, Foreman faced world Heavyweight champion Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica, knocking him down no less than six times in two rounds and knocking him out in the second round in one of boxing history's biggest upsets to become the world champion.
Foreman was sometimes characterized by the media as an aloof and anti-social champion.
Nevertheless, Foreman went on to defend his title successfully twice during this reign, his first defense, in Tokyo against Puerto Rican Heavyweight champion Jose Roman lasted only 50 seconds, the fastest ever for a world Heavyweight championship bout.
Around this time, Foreman was widely considered to be the most physically empowered specimen and hardest hitter in the history of the sport. Ali dedicated this month to endear himself to the public of Zaire, and taunt Foreman at every possible stop, making Foreman very angry and frustrated. When they finally squared off, Foreman tired and lost because of the "Rope-a-dope" technique Ali used, which served to disperse the effect of Foreman's punches while allowing Foreman to tire from throwing so many punches and countering with straight punches to Foreman's head. Foreman suffered his first defeat, being knocked out in the eighth round. In a brutal fourth round, Lyle knocked down Foreman, only to have Foreman get up from the canvas to knock down Lyle moments later. In the closing seconds of the round, Lyle knocked Foreman down again, with Foreman making it up before the ten count. With both men in a weakened state, but with one having to muster up the fortitude to put the other away, Foreman knocked out Lyle in the fifth round.
Retirement
1977 would prove to be a life changing year for Foreman. After knocking out Pedro Agosto in four rounds at Pensacola, Florida, Foreman flew to Puerto Rico, where he lost a 12-round decision to Jimmy Young. Foreman became very ill in his dressing room after the fight. Foreman retired from boxing, and became an ordained minister of a church in Texas.
By that time, Foreman had become a successful business entrepreneur, selling everything from hamburgers to mufflers on TV.
In 1989, Foreman continued his winning ways, winning five fights, including a 5-round knockout of former world Light Heavyweight champion JB Williamson, and a 3-round win over future Heavyweight title challenger Bert Cooper.
In 1990, Foreman became once again a ranked contender, and he beat former title challenger Gerry Cooney by a knockout in two. Foreman went twelve rounds with Holyfield before losing the decision. Once the fight was finished Foreman made the reporters feel half of his dream had been completed by saying that he showed the world people can go the full 12 rounds after reaching their forties.
Foreman boxed only twice more before receiving his next world title shot, for the vacant WBO championship against Tommy Morrison. Morrison beat Foreman in twelve rounds by decision, but Foreman refused to give up on his dream.
Regaining the Heavyweight Titles
In 1994, Foreman once again went for the world championship, after Michael Moorer had beaten Holyfield for the IBF and WBA titles. Foreman was trailing on all scorecards when he suddenly knocked out Moorer in the 10th round on November 5 in Las Vegas, Nevada. With this, Foreman broke two records: He became, at the age of 45, the oldest fighter ever to win the world Heavyweight crown, and, 20 years after losing his world title for the first time, he broke the record for the fighter with the most time in between one world championship run and the next.
Shortly after the Moorer fight, Foreman was stripped of the WBA title because he refused to fight mandatory opponent Tony Tucker.
In 1996, Foreman returned to Tokyo, where he beat Crawford Grimsley by a 12-round decision, and in 1997, he also beat Lou Savarese by decision. After the WBC decided to give the winner of his fight with Shannon Briggs a title shot against world champion Lennox Lewis, Foreman and Briggs fought, Briggs winning a very controversial 12-round majority decision.
Second retirement
Foreman planned to box a return bout against Larry Holmes in 1999.
The George Foreman grill & other business ventures
Apart from his ads for Meineke mufflers, Foreman also tours the world promoting his George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine. Interestingly, Foreman has made more money from his grilling machine contracts than he made during his entire boxing career. The grill slogan is "knock out the fat" (even though the makers of Foreman's grill have shown no evidence that using the grill significantly reduces the fat content of foods over normal grilling methods.) Since it was first sold in 1995, over 55 million grills have been purchased.
Foreman won't say how much he has made as a product endorser, but he doesn't dispute a published estimate that his lifetime earnings are about $240 million - three times what he earned in the ring. But in the past few years, consumers have put off replacing their old Foreman grills, and Salton has struggled: It reported a loss of $3.2 million on sales of $274 million in its most recent quarter.
In 2004 Foreman began marketing the George Foreman brand of "Big and Tall" clothes through the retailer Casual Male.
Hall of Fame
In January 2003, Foreman was elected to the International Boxing Hall Of Fame, where he was inducted in June. Foreman usually makes many boxing fans' top 10 heavyweight lists and still has many fans worldwide.
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