George Foreman, the fearsome heavyweight who misplaced the “Rumble within the Jungle” to Muhammad Ali earlier than his inspiring second act as a 45-year-old champion and a profitable businessman, died Friday night time. He was 76.
Foreman’s household introduced his loss of life on social media.
“A religious preacher, a loyal husband, a loving father, and a proud grand- and great-grandfather, he lived a life marked by unwavering religion, humility and function,” his household wrote.
A local Texan, Foreman started his boxing profession as an Olympic gold medalist who impressed worry as he climbed to the height of the heavyweight division by stopping Joe Frazier in 1973. His formidable aura evaporated solely a 12 months later when Ali pulled off one of the vital audacious victories in boxing historical past in Zaire, baiting and taunting Foreman into dropping his belt in one of many best fights ever staged.
Foreman left the game a couple of years later, however returned after a 10-year absence and a self-described non secular awakening.
He then pulled off one of the vital spectacular knockouts in boxing historical past in 1994, flooring Michael Moorer — 19 years his junior — with one good mixture to assert Moorer’s two heavyweight belts.
Foreman’s transformation into an inspirational determine was full, and he fought solely 4 extra occasions earlier than shifting onto his subsequent profession as a genial businessman, pitchman and occasional actor.
He was greatest referred to as the face of the George Foreman Grill, a rudimentary cooking machine which offered greater than 100 million items and made him a lot wealthier than his sport ever did.
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