Foreman exchanging punches with Muhammad Ali in their well-known Rumble in the Jungle combat
George Foreman, the boxing heavyweight legend, has died aged 76, his household mentioned.
Generally known as Massive George in the ring, the American competed for many years beginning in the Sixties, profitable gold on the Olympics and quite a few title belts, together with the world heavyweight title twice.
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Born George Edward Foreman on 10 January 1949 in Marshall, Texas, his novice boxing profession peaked on the 1968 Olympic video games in Mexico Metropolis, the place he received a gold medal and famously waved a small US flag after his win.
In his autobiography, he mentioned he was waving the flag “as a lot for myself as for the nation”.
“I used to be letting everybody know who I used to be and on the identical time saying that I used to be proud to be an American.”
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After turning skilled in 1969, he rapidly rose up the ranks. By 1972, he had a profitable streak of 37 fights – 35 of which have been knockouts. His first shot on the world heavyweight championship got here in 1973, when he knocked out the then-undefeated world champion, Joe Frazier.
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Foreman received the title on the age of 24, and efficiently defended it twice.
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Foreman then misplaced his heavyweight title to Muhammad Ali in their well-known 1974 Rumble in the Jungle combat. To wear down Foreman, Ali spent eight rounds leaning again on the ropes, a tactic he referred to as “rope-a-dope”.
He as soon as referred to as the loss the “most embarrassing second” of his life.
“I simply could not consider I might misplaced the world title”, he mentioned, including: “It went from delight to pity. That is devastating.
His opponent, Foreman mentioned, was “the hardest human being I ever had an encounter with”.
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A giant change got here in 1977: shortly after dropping a combat to American boxer Jimmy Younger, Foreman gave up boxing and turned to faith, changing into an ordained minister in 1978. He later based the George Foreman Youth and Neighborhood Heart and the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He advised the BBC his defeat to Ali grew to become the “neatest thing that ever occurred to me” because it in the end led him to “get my message out” by preaching.
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After almost ten years away from boxing, Foreman determined to select the gloves again up in 1987 and return to the ring to lift funds for his youth centre. Throughout his profitable return to the game, he received 24 matches earlier than dropping to Evander Holyfield after 12 rounds in 1991.
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In 1994, he took a jab at a brand new enterprise, changing into the face of the George Foreman Grill – often known as the “Lean Imply Grilling Machine”. Over in the boxing ring, he additionally grew to become the oldest heavyweight champion aged 45 that very same yr. He retired from boxing three years later, in 1997, amassing a surprising report of 76 wins and 5 losses.
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Foreman had 12 youngsters – together with 5 sons who’re all additionally named George. He’s pictured right here together with his son George III. He as soon as defined that he named them after himself in order that they “they might all the time have one thing in frequent”. He continued his work in the church till his dying, preaching at his ministry 4 occasions every week, in line with his web site.
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