George Foreman

For the English footballer, see George Foreman (footballer). For the electric grill, see George Foreman Grill.

George Foreman

Foreman in 2009
Statistics
Real name George Edward Foreman
Nickname(s) Big George
Rated at Heavyweight
Height 6 ft 3½ in (192 cm)
Reach 78½ in (199 cm)
Nationality American
Born (1949-01-10) January 10, 1949
Marshall, Texas, U.S.
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 81
Wins 76
Wins by KO 68
Losses 5

George Edward Foreman (born January 10, 1949)[1] is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1969 to 1977, and from 1987 to 1997. Nicknamed "Big George", he is a two-time world heavyweight champion and an Olympic gold medalist. Outside the sport he went on to become an ordained minister, author and entrepreneur.

After a troubled childhood, Foreman took up amateur boxing and won a gold medal in the heavyweight division at the 1968 Summer Olympics. Having turned professional the next year, he won the world heavyweight title with a second-round knockout of then-undefeated Joe Frazier in 1973. Two successful title defenses were made before Foreman's first professional loss to Muhammad Ali in "The Rumble in the Jungle" in 1974. Unable to secure another title opportunity, Foreman retired after a loss to Jimmy Young in 1977. Following what he referred to as a religious epiphany, Foreman became an ordained Christian minister. Ten years later, he announced a comeback and, in 1994, at age 45, he regained a portion of the heavyweight championship by knocking out 27-year-old Michael Moorer to win the unified WBA, IBF, and lineal titles. Foreman remains the oldest heavyweight champion in history, and the second oldest in any weight class after Bernard Hopkins (at light heavyweight). He retired in 1997 at the age of 48, with a final record of 76 wins 5 losses and 68 knockouts.

Foreman has been inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame. The International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO) rates Foreman as the eighth greatest heavyweight of all time.[2] In 2002, he was named one of the 25 greatest fighters of the past 80 years by The Ring magazine.[3] The Ring ranked him as the ninth greatest puncher of all time.[4] He was a ringside analyst for HBO's boxing coverage for twelve years, leaving in 2004.[5] Outside of boxing, he is a successful entrepreneur and is known for his promotion of the George Foreman Grill, which has sold over 100 million units worldwide.[6] In 1999 he sold the naming rights to the grill for $138 million.[7]

Early life

George Foreman was born in Marshall, Texas. He grew up in the Fifth Ward, Houston, with six siblings.[8] Although he was raised by J.D. Foreman, whom his mother had married when George was a small child, his biological father was Leroy Moorehead. By his own admission in his autobiography, George was a troubled youth. He dropped out of school at the age of fifteen and later joined the Job Corps. After moving to Pleasanton, California, with the help of a supervisor he began to train in boxing. Foreman was interested in football and idolized Jim Brown, but gave it up for boxing.

1968 Olympic gold medal

Foreman won a gold medal in the boxing/heavyweight division at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games. In the final Olympic bout, Foreman defeated Soviet Union's Jonas Čepulis when the referee stopped the fight in the 2nd round.[9] Čepulis' face was already bleeding in the first round from Foreman's punches, and had to take a standing eight count early in the second round.[10] After winning the gold medal fight, Foreman walked around the ring carrying a small American flag.[9][10]

Professional career

Foreman had an amateur record of 22–4, losing twice to Clay Hodges (also defeated by Max Briggs in his first ever fight). Foreman turned professional in 1969 with a three-round knockout of Donald Walheim in New York. He had a total of 13 fights that year, winning all of them (11 by knockout).

In 1970, Foreman continued his march toward the undisputed heavyweight title, winning all 12 of his bouts (11 by knockout). Among the opponents he defeated were Gregorio Peralta, whom he decisioned at Madison Square Garden although Peralta showed that Foreman was vulnerable to fast counter punching mixed with an assertive boxing style. Foreman then defeated George Chuvalo by technical knockout (TKO) in three rounds. After this win, Foreman defeated Charlie Polite in four rounds and Boone Kirkman in three.

In 1971, Foreman won seven more fights, winning all of them by knockout, including a rematch with Peralta, whom he defeated by knockout in the tenth and final round in Oakland, California, and a win over Leroy Caldwell, who was knocked out in the second round. After amassing a record of 32–0 (29 KO), he was ranked as the number one challenger by the WBA and WBC.

Sunshine Showdown versus Joe Frazier

George Foreman in 1973

In 1972, still undefeated and with an impressive knockout record, Foreman was set to challenge undefeated and Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion Joe Frazier. Despite boycotting a title elimination caused by the vacancy resulting from the championship being stripped from Muhammad Ali, Frazier had won the title from Jimmy Ellis and defended his title four times since, including a 15-round unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Ali in 1971 after Ali had beaten Oscar Bonavena and Jerry Quarry. Despite Foreman's superior size and reach, he was not expected to beat Frazier[11] and was a 3:1 underdog going into the fight.

The Sunshine Showdown took place on January 22, 1973, in Kingston, Jamaica, with Foreman dominating the fight to win the championship by technical knockout. In ABC's re-broadcast, Howard Cosell made the memorable call, "Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!" Before the fight Frazier was 29–0 (25 KO) and Foreman was 37–0 (34 KO). Frazier was knocked down six times by Foreman within two rounds, with the three knockdowns rule being waived for this bout. After the second knockdown, Frazier's balance and mobility were impaired to the extent that he was unable to evade Foreman's combinations. Frazier managed to get to his feet for all six knockdowns, but referee Arthur Mercante eventually called an end to the one-sided bout.

Foreman was sometimes characterized by the media as an aloof and antisocial champion.[12] According to them, he always seemed to wear a sneer and was not often available to the press. Foreman later attributed his demeanor during this time as an emulation of Sonny Liston, for whom he had been an occasional sparring partner. Foreman defended his title successfully twice during his initial reign as champion. His first defense, in Tokyo, pitted him against Puerto Rican Heavyweight Champion José Roman. Roman was not regarded as a top contender, and it took Foreman only 2 minutes to end the fight, one of the fastest knockouts in a Heavyweight Championship bout.

Title defense versus Ken Norton

Foreman's next defense was against a much tougher opponent. In 1974, in Caracas, Venezuela, he faced the highly regarded hall-of-famer Ken Norton (who was 30–2), a boxer noted for his awkward crossed-arm boxing style, crab-like defense, and heavy punch (a style Foreman emulated in his comeback), who had broken the jaw of Muhammad Ali in a points victory a year earlier. Norton had a good chin and had performed well against Ali in their two matches, winning the first on points and nearly winning the second. (Norton developed a reputation for showing nerves against heavy hitters, largely beginning with this fight.) After an even first round, Foreman staggered Norton with an uppercut a minute into round two, buckling him into the ropes. Norton did not hit the canvas but continued on wobbly legs, clearly not having recovered, and shortly he went down a further two times in quick succession, with the referee intervening and stopping the fight. "Ken was awesome when he got going. I didn't want him to get into the fight", Foreman said when interviewed years later. This fight became known as the "Caracas Caper".

Foreman had cruised past two of the top names in the rankings. The win gave him a 40–0 record with 37 knockouts.

Rumble in the Jungle

Foreman's next title defence, against Muhammad Ali, was historic. During the summer of 1974, he traveled to Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) to defend his title against Ali. The bout was promoted as "The Rumble in the Jungle."

During training in Zaire, Foreman suffered a cut above his eye, forcing postponement of the match for a month. The injury affected his training regimen, as it meant he couldn't spar in the build-up to the fight and risk the cut being re-opened. He later commented: "That was the best thing that happened to Ali when we were in Africa—the fact that I had to get ready for the fight without being able to box."[13] Foreman later also claimed he was drugged by his trainer prior to the bout.[14] Ali used this time to tour Zaire, endearing himself to the public while taunting Foreman at every opportunity. Foreman was favored, having knocked out both Joe Frazier and Ken Norton within two rounds.

When Foreman and Ali finally met in the ring, Ali began more aggressively than expected, outscoring Foreman with superior punching speed. However, Ali quickly realized that this approach required him to move much more than Foreman and would cause him to tire. In the second round, Ali retreated to the ropes, shielding his head and hitting Foreman in the face at every opportunity. Foreman dug vicious body punches into Ali's sides; however, Foreman was unable to land many big punches to Ali's head. The ring ropes, being much looser than usual (Foreman later charged that Angelo Dundee had loosened them, and this story is supported by Norman Mailer in the book The Fight), allowed Ali to lean back and away from Foreman's wild swings and then grab Foreman behind the head, forcing Foreman to expend much extra energy untangling himself. Ali also constantly pushed down on Foreman's neck but was never warned about doing so. To this day, it is unclear whether Ali's pre-fight talk of using speed and movement against Foreman had been just a diversionary tactic or whether his use of what became known as the "Rope-a-dope" tactic was an improvisation necessitated by Foreman's constant pressure.

In either case, Ali was able to occasionally counter off the ropes with blows to the face and penetrated Foreman's defense. Ali continued to take heavy punishment to the body and occasionally a hard jolt to the head. Ali later said he was "out on his feet" twice during the bout. Eventually, Foreman began to tire, and his punches became increasingly wild, losing power in the process. An increasingly confident Ali taunted Foreman throughout the bout. Late in the eighth round, Foreman was left off balance by a haymaker, and Ali sprang off the ropes with a flurry to Foreman's head, punctuated by a hard right cross that landed flush on the jaw, knocking Foreman down. Muhammad Ali was the first boxer to stop Foreman.

Foreman later reflected that "it just wasn't my night". Though he sought one, he was unable to secure a rematch with Ali. It has been suggested in some quarters that Ali was ducking Foreman, although he did give a rematch to Joe Frazier and to Ken Norton. Ali also preferred to fight such "minimal risk" opponents as Chuck Wepner, Richard Dunn, Jean Pierre Coopman, and Alfredo Evangelista.[15]

First comeback

Foreman remained inactive during 1975. In 1976, he announced a comeback and stated his intention of securing a rematch with Ali. His first opponent was to be Ron Lyle, who had been defeated by Muhammad Ali in 1975, via 11-th round TKO. At the end of the first round, Lyle landed a hard right that sent Foreman staggering across the ring. In the second round, Foreman pounded Lyle against the ropes and might have scored a KO, but due to a timekeeping error the bell rang with a minute still remaining in the round and Lyle survived. In the third, Foreman pressed forward, with Lyle waiting to counter off the ropes. In the fourth, a brutal slugfest erupted. A cluster of power punches from Lyle sent Foreman to the canvas. When Foreman got up, Lyle staggered him again, but just as Foreman seemed finished, he retaliated with a hard right to the side of the head, knocking down Lyle. Lyle beat the count, then landed another brutal combination, knocking Foreman down for the second time. Again, Foreman beat the count. Foreman said later that he had never been hit so hard in a fight and remembered looking down at the canvas and seeing blood. In the fifth round, both fighters continued to ignore defense and traded their hardest punches, looking crude. Each man staggered the other, and each seemed almost out on his feet. Then, as if finally tired, Lyle stopped punching, and Foreman delivered a dozen unanswered blows until Lyle collapsed. Lyle remained on the canvas and was counted out, giving Foreman the KO victory. The fight was named by The Ring as "The Fight of the Year."

For his next bout, Foreman chose to face Joe Frazier in a rematch. Because of the one-sided Foreman victory in their first fight, and the fact that Frazier had taken a tremendous amount of punishment from Ali in Manila a year earlier, few expected him to win. Frazier at this point was 32–3, and Foreman was 41–1. However, the 2nd Foreman-Frazier fight was fairly competitive for its duration, as Frazier used quick head movements to make Foreman miss with his hardest punches. Frazier was wearing a contact lens for his vision which was knocked loose during the bout. After being unable to mount a significant offense, Frazier was eventually floored twice by Foreman in the fifth round and the fight was stopped. Next, Foreman knocked out Scott LeDoux in three rounds and prospect John Dino Denis in four to finish the year.

Retirement and spiritual rebirth

1977 proved to be a life changing year for Foreman. After knocking out Pedro Agosto in four rounds at Pensacola, Florida, Foreman flew to Puerto Rico a day before the fight without giving himself time to acclimatise. His opponent was the skilled boxer Jimmy Young, who had beaten Ron Lyle and lost a very controversial decision to Muhammad Ali the previous year. Foreman fought cautiously early on, allowing Young to settle into the fight. Young constantly complained about Foreman pushing him, for which Foreman eventually had a point deducted by the referee, although Young was never warned for his persistent holding. Foreman badly hurt Young in round 7 but was unable to land a finishing blow. Foreman tired during the second half of the fight and suffered a knockdown in round 12 en route to losing a decision.

Foreman became ill in his dressing room after the fight. He was suffering from exhaustion and heatstroke and believed he had a near death experience. He spoke of being in a hellish, frightening place of nothingness and despair, and realized that he was in the midst of death. Though not yet religious, he began to plead with God to help him. He explained that he sensed God asking him to change his life and ways. When he said, "I don't care if this is death – I still believe there is a God", he felt a hand pull him out and sensed that he was also suffering stigmata. After this experience, Foreman became a born-again Christian, dedicating his life for the next decade to God. Although he did not formally retire from boxing, Foreman stopped fighting and became an ordained minister, initially preaching on street corners before becoming the reverend at the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Houston[16] and devoting himself to his family and his congregation. He also opened a youth center[17] that bears his name. Foreman continues to share his conversion experience on Christian television broadcasts such as The 700 Club and the Trinity Broadcasting Network and later joked that Young had knocked the devil out of him.

Second comeback

In 1987, after 10 years away from the ring, Foreman surprised the boxing world by announcing a comeback at the age of 38. In his autobiography, he wrote that his primary motive was to raise money to fund the youth center he had created, which had required much of the money he had earned in the initial phase of his career. Another stated ambition was to fight Mike Tyson.[18] For his first fight, he went to Sacramento, California, where he beat journeyman Steve Zouski by a knockout in four rounds. Foreman weighed 267 lb (121 kg) for the fight and looked badly out of shape. Although many thought his decision to return to the ring was a mistake, Foreman countered that he had returned to prove that age was not a barrier to people achieving their goals (as he said later, he wanted to show that age 40 is not a "death sentence"). He won four more bouts that year, gradually slimming down and improving his fitness. In 1988, he won nine times. Perhaps his most notable win during this period was a seventh-round knockout of former Light Heavyweight and Cruiserweight Champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi.

Having always been a deliberate fighter, Foreman had not lost much mobility in the ring since his first "retirement", although he found it harder to keep his balance after throwing big punches and could no longer throw rapid combinations. He was still capable of landing heavy single blows, however. The late-round fatigue that had plagued him in the ring as a young man now seemed to be unexpectedly gone, and he could comfortably compete for 12 rounds. Foreman attributed this to his new, relaxed fighting style (he has spoken of how, earlier in his career, his lack of stamina came from an enormous amount of nervous tension).

By 1989, while continuing his comeback, Foreman had sold his name and face for the advertising of various products, selling everything from grills to mufflers on TV. For this purpose his public persona was reinvented, and the formerly aloof, ominous Foreman had been replaced by a smiling, friendly George. He and Ali had become friends, and he followed in Ali's footsteps by making himself a celebrity outside the boundaries of boxing.

Foreman continued his string of victories, winning five more fights, the most impressive being a three-round win over Bert Cooper, who went on to contest the Undisputed Heavyweight title against Evander Holyfield.

In 1990, Foreman met former title challenger Gerry Cooney in Atlantic City. Cooney was coming off a long period of inactivity, but was well regarded for his punching power. Cooney wobbled Foreman in the first round, but Foreman landed several powerful punches in the second round. Cooney was knocked down twice and Foreman had scored a devastating KO. Foreman went on to win four more fights that year.

Then, in 1991, Foreman was given the opportunity to challenge Undisputed Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield, who was in tremendous shape at 208 pounds, for the world title in a Pay Per View boxing event. Very few boxing experts gave the 42-year-old Foreman a chance of winning. Foreman, who weighed in at 257 pounds, began the contest by marching forward, absorbing several of Holyfield's best combinations and occasionally landing a powerful swing of his own. Holyfield proved too tough and agile to knock down and was well ahead on points throughout the fight, but Foreman surprised many by lasting the full 12 rounds, losing his challenge on points. Round 7, in which Foreman knocked Holyfield off balance before being staggered by a powerful combination, was expected to be Ring Magazine's "Round of the Year", though no award was given in 1991.[19]

A year later, Foreman fought journeyman Alex Stewart, who had previously been stopped in the first round by Mike Tyson. Foreman knocked down Stewart twice in the second round but expended a lot of energy in doing so. He subsequently tired, and Stewart rebounded. By the end of the 10th and final round, Foreman's face was bloodied and swollen, but the judges awarded him a majority decision win.

In 1993, Foreman received another title shot, although this was for the vacant WBO Championship, which most fans at the time saw as a second-tier version of the "real" Heavyweight title, then being contested between Holyfield and Riddick Bowe. Foreman's opponent was Tommy Morrison, a young prospect known for his punching power. To the frustration of Foreman and the disappointment of the booing crowd, Morrison retreated throughout the fight, refusing to trade toe-to-toe, and sometimes even turned his back on Foreman. The strategy paid off, however, as he outboxed Foreman from long range. Foreman was competitive throughout the match, but after 12 rounds, Morrison won a unanimous decision.

Regaining the title

In 1994, Foreman once again sought to challenge for the world championship after Michael Moorer had beaten Holyfield for the IBF and WBA titles.

Having lost his last fight against Morrison, Foreman was unranked and in no position to demand another title shot. His relatively high profile, however, made a title shot against Moorer, 19 years his junior, a lucrative prospect at seemingly little risk for the champion.

Foreman's title challenge against Moorer took place on November 5 in Las Vegas, Nevada, with Foreman wearing the same red trunks he had worn in his title loss to Ali 20 years earlier. This time, however, Foreman was a substantial underdog. For nine rounds, Moorer easily outboxed him, hitting and moving away, while Foreman chugged forward, seemingly unable to "pull the trigger" on his punches. Entering the tenth round, Foreman was trailing on all scorecards. However, Foreman launched a comeback in the tenth round and hit Moorer with a number of punches. Then a short right hand caught Moorer on the tip of his chin, gashing open his bottom lip and he collapsed to the canvas. He lay flat on his back as the referee counted him out.

Foreman in 2016

In an instant, Foreman had regained the title he had lost to Muhammad Ali two decades before. He went back to his corner and knelt in prayer as the arena erupted in cheers. With this historic victory, Foreman broke three records: he became, at age 45, the oldest fighter ever to win the World Heavyweight Championship; 20 years after losing his title for the first time, he broke the record for the fighter with the longest interval between his first and second world championships; and the age spread of 19 years between the champion and challenger was the largest of any heavyweight boxing championship fight.

Shortly after the Moorer fight, Foreman began talking about a potential superfight against Mike Tyson (the youngest ever heavyweight champ). The WBA organization, however, demanded he fight their No. 1 challenger, who at the time was the competent but aging Tony Tucker. For reasons not clearly known, Foreman refused to fight Tucker and allowed the WBA to strip him of that belt. He then went on to fight mid-level prospect Axel Schulz of Germany in defense of his remaining IBF title. Schulz was a major underdog. Schulz jabbed strongly from long range and grew increasingly confident as the fight progressed. Foreman finished the fight with a swelling over one eye, but was awarded a controversial majority decision. The IBF ordered an immediate rematch to be held in Germany, but Foreman refused the terms and found himself stripped of his remaining title. However, Foreman continued to be recognized as the Lineal Heavyweight Champion.

In 1996, Foreman returned to Tokyo, scoring an easy win over the unrated Crawford Grimsley by a 12-round decision. In 1997, he faced contender Lou Savarese, winning a close decision in a grueling, competitive encounter. Then, yet another opportunity came Foreman's way as the WBC decided to match him against Shannon Briggs in a 1997 "eliminator bout" for the right to face WBC champion Lennox Lewis. After 12 rounds, in which Foreman consistently rocked Briggs with power punches, almost everyone at ringside saw Foreman as the clear winner.[20] Once again there was a controversial decision—but this time it went in favor of Foreman's opponent, with Briggs awarded a points win (114–114, 116–112, and 117–113). Foreman had fought for the last time, at the age of 48.

Second retirement

Foreman was gracious and philosophical in his loss to Briggs, but announced his "final" retirement shortly afterwards. However, he did plan a return bout against Larry Holmes in 1999, scheduled to take place at the Houston Astrodome on pay per view. The fight was to be billed as "The Birthday Bash" due to both fighters' upcoming birthdays. Foreman was set to make $10 million and Holmes was to make $4 million, but negotiations fell through and the fight was cancelled. With a continuing affinity for the sport, Foreman became a respected boxing analyst for HBO.

Foreman said he had no plans to resume his career as a boxer, but then announced in February 2004 that he was training for one more comeback fight to demonstrate that the age of 55, like 40, is not a "death sentence." The bout, against an unspecified opponent (rumored to be Trevor Berbick), never materialized (it was widely thought that Foreman's wife had been a major factor in the change of plans). Having severed his relationship with HBO to pursue other opportunities, George Foreman and the sport of boxing finally went their separate ways.

Personal life

Foreman speaking in Houston, Texas, in September 2009

Foreman has 12 children: five sons and seven daughters. His five sons are George Jr., George III ("Monk"), George IV ("Big Wheel"), George V ("Red"), and George VI ("Little Joey"). In a 2016 interview, Foreman explained, "I named all my sons George Edward Foreman so they would always have something in common. I say to them, 'If one of us goes up, then we all go up together, and if one goes down, we all go down together.'" [21]

The two daughters from his marriage are Natalia and Leola; his three daughters from a separate relationship are Michi, Freeda, and Georgetta. He adopted a daughter, Isabella Brandie Lilja (Foreman), in 2009; and another, Courtney Isaac (Foreman), in 2012.

George Foreman Grill

Main article: George Foreman Grill

When Foreman came back from retirement he argued that his success was due to his healthy eating, which made him a perfect fit for Salton, Inc., which was looking for a spokesperson for its fat-reducing grill, in which Foreman had some influence designing. Hulk Hogan had previously been considered, but chose to pitch the Hulkamania Meatball Maker instead.[22] The George Foreman Grill has sold over 100 million units since it was first launched, a feat achieved in a little over 15 years.

Although Foreman has never confirmed exactly how much he has earned from the endorsement, it is known that Salton paid him $137 million in 1999, for the right to use his name. Prior to that, he was paid about 40% of the profits on each grill sold (earning him $4.5 million a month in payouts at its peak), so it is estimated he has made a total of over $200 million from the endorsement, substantially more than he earned as a boxer.[23] Recently, Foreman has capitalized on the success obtained with the Foreman Grill to endorse InventHelp; the company behind INPEX (Invention and New Product Exposition); America's largest invention trade show. [24]

Amateur accomplishments

Source:[25]

Professional boxing record

Professional record summary
81 fights 76 wins 5 losses
By knockout 68 1
By decision 8 4
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Age Location Notes
81 Loss 76–5 United States Shannon Briggs MD 12 Nov 22, 1997 48 years, 316 days United States Etess Arena, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. Lost lineal heavyweight title
80 Win 76–4 United States Lou Savarese SD 12 Apr 26, 1997 48 years, 106 days United States Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. Retained WBU and lineal heavyweight titles
79 Win 75–4 United States Crawford Grimsley UD 12 Nov 3, 1996 47 years, 298 days Japan NK Hall, Urayasu, Japan Retained WBU and lineal heavyweight titles;
Won vacant IBA heavyweight title
78 Win 74–4 Germany Axel Schulz MD 12 Apr 22, 1995 46 years, 102 days United States MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. Retained IBF and lineal heavyweight titles;
Won vacant WBU heavyweight title
77 Win 73–4 United States Michael Moorer KO 10 (12), 2:03 Nov 5, 1994 45 years, 299 days United States MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. Won WBA, IBF, and lineal heavyweight titles
76 Loss 72–4 United States Tommy Morrison UD 12 Jun 7, 1993 44 years, 148 days United States Thomas & Mack Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. For vacant WBO heavyweight title
75 Win 72–3 South Africa Pierre Coetzer TKO 8 (10), 1:48 Jan 16, 1993 44 years, 6 days United States Convention Center, Reno, Nevada, U.S.
74 Win 71–3 Jamaica Alex Stewart MD 10 Apr 11, 1992 43 years, 92 days United States Thomas & Mack Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
73 Win 70–3 United States Jimmy Ellis TKO 3 (10), 1:36 Dec 7, 1991 42 years, 331 days United States Convention Center, Reno, Nevada, U.S.
72 Loss 69–3 United States Evander Holyfield UD 12 Apr 19, 1991 42 years, 99 days United States Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. For WBA, WBC, IBF, and lineal heavyweight titles
71 Win 69–2 United States Terry Anderson KO 1 (10), 2:59 Sep 25, 1990 41 years, 258 days United Kingdom London Arena, London, England
70 Win 68–2 Canada Ken Lakusta KO 3 (10), 1:24 Jul 31, 1990 41 years, 202 days Canada Northlands AgriCom, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
69 Win 67–2 Brazil Adilson Rodrigues KO 2 (10), 2:39 Jun 16, 1990 41 years, 157 days United States Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
68 Win 66–2 United States Mike Jameson TKO 4 (10), 2:16 Apr 17, 1990 41 years, 97 days United States Caesars Tahoe, Stateline, Nevada, U.S.
67 Win 65–2 United States Gerry Cooney KO 2 (10), 1:57 Jan 15, 1990 41 years, 5 days United States Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
66 Win 64–2 United States Everett Martin UD 10 Jul 20, 1989 40 years, 191 days United States Convention Center, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
65 Win 63–2 United States Bert Cooper RTD 2 (10), 3:00 Jun 1, 1989 40 years, 142 days United States Pride Pavilion, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
64 Win 62–2 United States J. B. Williamson TKO 5 (10), 1:37 Apr 30, 1989 40 years, 110 days United States Moody Gardens Hotel Spa, Galveston, Texas, U.S.
63 Win 61–2 Brazil Manoel De Almeida TKO 3 (10), 2:14 Feb 16, 1989 40 years, 37 days United States Atlantis Theater, Orlando, Florida, U.S.
62 Win 60–2 United States Mark Young TKO 7 (10), 1:47 Jan 26, 1989 40 years, 16 days United States Community War Memorial, Rochester, New York, U.S.
61 Win 59–2 United States David Jaco TKO 1 (10), 2:03 Dec 28, 1988 39 years, 353 days United States Casa Royal Banquet Hall, Bakersfield, California, U.S.
60 Win 58–2 Tonga Tony Fulilangi TKO 2 (10), 2:26 Oct 27, 1988 39 years, 291 days United States Civic Center, Marshall, Texas, U.S.
59 Win 57–2 United States Bobby Hitz TKO 1 (10), 2:59 Sep 10, 1988 39 years, 244 days United States The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.
58 Win 56–2 Mexico Ladislao Mijangos TKO 2 (10), 2:42 Aug 25, 1988 39 years, 228 days United States Lee County Civic Center, Fort Myers, Florida, U.S.
57 Win 55–2 Cuba Carlos Hernández TKO 4 (10), 1:36 Jun 26, 1988 39 years, 168 days United States Tropworld Casino and Entertainment Resort, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
56 Win 54–2 United States Frank Lux TKO 3 (10), 2:07 May 21, 1988 39 years, 132 days United States Sullivan Arena, Anchorage, Alaska, U.S.
55 Win 53–2 United States Dwight Muhammad Qawi TKO 7 (10), 1:51 Mar 19, 1988 39 years, 69 days United States Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
54 Win 52–2 Italy Guido Trane TKO 5 (10), 2:39 Feb 5, 1988 39 years, 26 days United States Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
53 Win 51–2 United States Tom Trimm KO 1 (10), 0:45 Jan 23, 1988 39 years, 13 days United States Sheraton Twin Towers, Orlando, Florida, U.S.
52 Win 50–2 United States Rocky Sekorski TKO 3 (10), 2:48 Dec 18, 1987 38 years, 342 days United States Bally's Las Vegas, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
51 Win 49–2 United States Tim Anderson TKO 4 (10), 2:23 Nov 21, 1987 38 years, 315 days United States Eddie Graham Sports Complex, Orlando, Florida, U.S.
50 Win 48–2 United States Bobby Crabtree TKO 6 (10) Sep 15, 1987 38 years, 248 days United States The Hitchin' Post, Springfield, Missouri, U.S.
49 Win 47–2 United States Charles Hostetter KO 3 (10), 2:01 Jul 9, 1987 38 years, 180 days United States County Coliseum, Oakland, California, U.S.
48 Win 46–2 United States Steve Zouski TKO 4 (10), 2:47 Mar 9, 1987 38 years, 58 days United States ARCO Arena, Sacramento, California, U.S.
Retirement
47 Loss 45–2 United States Jimmy Young UD 12 Mar 17, 1977 28 years, 66 days Puerto Rico Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan, Puerto Rico
46 Win 45–1 Puerto Rico Pedro Agosto TKO 4 (10), 2:34 Jan 22, 1977 28 years, 12 days United States Civic Center, Pensacola, Florida, U.S.
45 Win 44–1 United States John Dino Denis TKO 4 (10), 2:25 Oct 15, 1976 27 years, 279 days United States Sportatorium, Hollywood, Florida, U.S.
44 Win 43–1 United States Scott LeDoux TKO 3 (10), 2:58 Aug 14, 1976 27 years, 217 days United States Memorial Auditorium, Utica, New York, U.S.
43 Win 42–1 United States Joe Frazier TKO 5 (12), 2:26 Jun 15, 1976 27 years, 157 days United States Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, New York City, New York, U.S. Retained NABF heavyweight title
42 Win 41–1 United States Ron Lyle KO 5 (12), 2:28 Jan 24, 1976 27 years, 14 days United States Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. Won vacant NABF heavyweight title
41 Loss 40–1 United States Muhammad Ali KO 8 (15), 2:58 Oct 30, 1974 25 years, 293 days Zaire Stade du 20 Mai, Kinshasa, Zaire Lost WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
40 Win 40–0 United States Ken Norton TKO 2 (15), 2:00 Mar 26, 1974 25 years, 75 days Venezuela Poliedro, Caracas, Venezuela Retained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
39 Win 39–0 Puerto Rico José Roman KO 1 (15), 2:00 Sep 1, 1973 24 years, 234 days Japan Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan Retained WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
38 Win 38–0 United States Joe Frazier TKO 2 (15), 2:26 Jan 22, 1973 24 years, 12 days Jamaica National Stadium, Kingston, Jamaica Won WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
37 Win 37–0 United States Terry Sorrell KO 2 (10), 1:05 Oct 10, 1972 23 years, 274 days United States Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
36 Win 36–0 Argentina Miguel Angel Paez KO 2 (10), 2:29 May 11, 1972 23 years, 122 days United States County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, California, U.S. Won Pan American heavyweight title
35 Win 35–0 United States Ted Gullick KO 2 (10), 2:28 Apr 10, 1972 23 years, 91 days United States The Forum, Inglewood, California, U.S.
34 Win 34–0 United States Clarence Boone KO 2 (10), 2:55 Mar 7, 1972 23 years, 57 days United States Civic Center, Beaumont, Texas, U.S.
33 Win 33–0 United States Joe Murphy Goodwin KO 2 (10) Feb 29, 1972 23 years, 50 days United States Municipal Auditorium, Austin, Texas, U.S.
32 Win 32–0 Brazil Luis Faustino Pires RTD 4 (10), 3:00 Oct 29, 1971 22 years, 292 days United States Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
31 Win 31–0 United States Ollie Wilson KO 2 (10), 2:35 Oct 7, 1971 22 years, 270 days United States Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
30 Win 30–0 United States Leroy Caldwell KO 2 (10), 1:54 Sep 21, 1971 22 years, 254 days United States Beaumont, Texas, U.S.
29 Win 29–0 United States Vic Scott KO 1 (10) Sep 14, 1971 22 years, 247 days United States County Coliseum, El Paso, Texas, U.S.
28 Win 28–0 Argentina Gregorio Peralta TKO 10 (15), 2:52 May 10, 1971 22 years, 120 days United States County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, California, U.S. Won vacant NABF heavyweight title
27 Win 27–0 Jamaica Stamford Harris KO 2 (10), 2:58 Apr 3, 1971 22 years, 83 days United States Playboy Club, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, U.S.
26 Win 26–0 United States Charlie Boston KO 1 (10), 2:01 Feb 8, 1971 22 years, 29 days United States St. Paul Auditorium, Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
25 Win 25–0 United States Mel Turnbow TKO 1 (10), 2:58 Dec 18, 1970 21 years, 342 days United States Center Arena, Seattle, Washington, U.S.
24 Win 24–0 United States Boone Kirkman TKO 2 (10), 0:41 Nov 18, 1970 21 years, 312 days United States Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
23 Win 23–0 United States Lou Bailey TKO 3 (10), 1:50 Nov 3, 1970 21 years, 297 days United States State Fairgrounds International Building, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
22 Win 22–0 Canada George Chuvalo TKO 3 (10), 1:41 Aug 4, 1970 21 years, 206 days United States Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
21 Win 21–0 United States Roger Russell KO 1 (10), 2:29 Jul 20, 1970 21 years, 191 days United States Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
20 Win 20–0 United States George Johnson TKO 7 (10), 1:41 May 16, 1970 21 years, 126 days United States The Forum, Inglewood, California, U.S.
19 Win 19–0 United States Aaron Eastling TKO 4 (10), 2:24 Apr 29, 1970 21 years, 109 days United States Cleveland Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
18 Win 18–0 United States James J. Woody TKO 3 (10), 0:37 Apr 17, 1970 21 years, 97 days United States Felt Forum, New York City, New York, U.S.
17 Win 17–0 United States Rufus Brassell TKO 1 (10), 2:42 Mar 31, 1970 21 years, 80 days United States Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas, U.S.
16 Win 16–0 Argentina Gregorio Peralta UD 10 Feb 16, 1970 21 years, 37 days United States Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
15 Win 15–0 United States Jack O'Halloran KO 5 (10), 1:10 Jan 26, 1970 21 years, 16 days United States Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
14 Win 14–0 United States Charley Polite KO 4 (10), 0:44 Jan 6, 1970 20 years, 361 days United States Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas, U.S.
13 Win 13–0 United States Gary Hobo Wiler TKO 1 (10) Dec 18, 1969 20 years, 342 days United States Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle, Washington, U.S.
12 Win 12–0 United States Levi Forte UD 10 Dec 16, 1969 20 years, 340 days United States Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
11 Win 11–0 United States Bob Hazelton TKO 1 (6), 1:22 Dec 6, 1969 20 years, 330 days United States International Hotel, Winchester, Nevada, U.S.
10 Win 10–0 United States Max Martinez KO 2 (10), 2:35 Nov 18, 1969 20 years, 312 days United States Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas, U.S.
9 Win 9–0 Trinidad and Tobago Leo Peterson KO 4 (8), 1:00 Nov 5, 1969 20 years, 299 days United States Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
8 Win 8–0 Peru Roberto Davila UD 8 Oct 31, 1969 20 years, 294 days United States Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
7 Win 7–0 United States Vernon Clay TKO 2 (6), 0:32 Oct 7, 1969 20 years, 270 days United States Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas, U.S.
6 Win 6–0 United States Roy Wallace KO 2 (6), 0:19 Sep 23, 1969 20 years, 256 days United States Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas, U.S.
5 Win 5–0 United States Johnny Carroll KO 1 (6), 2:19 Sep 18, 1969 20 years, 251 days United States Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle, Washington, U.S.
4 Win 4–0 United States Chuck Wepner TKO 3 (10), 0:54 Aug 18, 1969 20 years, 220 days United States Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
3 Win 3–0 United States Sylvester Dullaire TKO 1 (6), 2:59 Jul 14, 1969 20 years, 185 days United States Rosecroft Raceway, Oxon Hill, Maryland, U.S.
2 Win 2–0 United States Fred Askew KO 1 (6), 2:30 Jul 1, 1969 20 years, 172 days United States Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas, U.S.
1 Win 1–0 United States Don Waldhelm TKO 3 (6), 1:54 Jun 23, 1969 20 years, 164 days United States Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. Professional debut

Titles in boxing

Amateur titles
Previous:
Forrest Ward
United States heavyweight champion
1968
Next:
Earnie Shavers
Regional titles
Vacant
Title last held by
Muhammad Ali
NABF heavyweight champion
May 10, 1971 – July 1971
Vacated
Vacant
Title next held by
Muhammad Ali
Vacant
Title last held by
Ken Norton
NABF heavyweight champion
January 24, 1976 – August 1976
Vacated
Vacant
Title next held by
Leroy Jones
Minor world titles
New title WBU heavyweight champion
April 22, 1995 – November 1997
Vacated
Vacant
Title next held by
Corrie Sanders
Vacant
Title last held by
Marcus McIntyre
IBA heavyweight champion
November 3, 1996 – April 1997
Vacated
Vacant
Title next held by
Lou Savarese
Major world titles
Preceded by
Joe Frazier
WBA heavyweight champion
January 22, 1973October 30, 1974
Succeeded by
Muhammad Ali
WBC heavyweight champion
January 22, 1973 – October 30, 1974
The Ring heavyweight champion
January 22, 1973 – October 30, 1974
Undisputed heavyweight champion
January 22, 1973 – October 30, 1974
Lineal heavyweight champion
January 22, 1973 – October 30, 1974
Preceded by
Michael Moorer
WBA heavyweight champion
November 5, 1994 – March 5, 1995
Stripped
Vacant
Title next held by
Bruce Seldon
IBF heavyweight champion
November 5, 1994 – June 29, 1995
Vacated
Vacant
Title next held by
Michael Moorer
Lineal heavyweight champion
November 5, 1994 – November 22, 1997
Succeeded by
Shannon Briggs

See also

References

  1. "George Foreman bio". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
  2. "ibroresearch.com". Ibroresearch.com. Retrieved 2011-11-12.
  3. "About.com: Boxing". Boxing.about.com. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
  4. Eisele, Andrew. "Ring Magazine's 100 Greatest Punchers". Boxing.about.com. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
  5. "George Foreman Leaves HBO Sports After Twelve Great Years". PR Newswire. December 4, 2003. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
  6. "History of the George Foreman Grill". georgeforemancooking.com. Archived from the original on December 8, 2011. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
  7. Coster, Helen (January 30, 2010). "Millionaire High School Dropouts Page 2 of 2". Forbes.
  8. "George Foreman's Guide to Life: How to Get Up off the Canvas When Life Knocks You Down", 2002
  9. 1 2 Fernandez, Bernard (January 12, 2016). "Foreman Fondly Remembers "Geezers At Caesars"". The Sweet Science. Retrieved 2016-09-03.
  10. 1 2 "Frazier & Foreman clinch gold". ESPN. Retrieved 2016-09-03.
  11. "Why I Don't Believe Those Who Say They Picked Foreman Over Frazier". Eastsideboxing.com. 1973-01-21. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
  12. "George Foreman Bio". Archived from the original on March 5, 2010. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
  13. "Video". CNN. December 15, 1975. Archived from the original on January 15, 2010.
  14. "Foreman claims he was drugged before loss to Ali – boxing – ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. 2007-05-22. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
  15. "Tuesday Night Fight Talk: Did Ali duck Foreman rematch?". Eastsideboxing.com. Retrieved 2012-09-29. Archived from the original.
  16. "The Official Site of George Foreman". Georgeforeman.com. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
  17. "George Foreman Youth Center, Houston". Archived from the original on June 9, 2007.
  18. "Why We Never Saw Foreman-Tyson". Coxscorner.tripod.com. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
  19. THE RING (24 February 2012). "PAST WINNERS OF THE RING'S YEAR-END AWARDS – Ring TV". Ring TV. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  20. "Fugitive Waves Ep #50 – An Unexpected Kitchen: The George Foreman Grill". The Kitchen Sisters. 2016-07-12. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
  21. "15 Years Ago Hulk Hogan Made One Stupid Decision That Wound Up Costing Him $200 Million", by Paula Wilson, CelebrityNetWorth.com
  22. "George Foreman Grill.". Business Week. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
  23. Saraceno, Jon. "A Conversation With George Foreman". AARP. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  24. "George Foreman Amateur Boxing Record". Boxing-Scoop.com. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
  25. "Amateur Accomplishments.". BoxRec.com. Retrieved 2011-04-20.
Awards
Previous:
Bob Foster vs. Chris Finnegan
The Ring Fight of the Year
vs. Joe Frazier

1973
Next:
George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali
Previous:
Muhammad Ali vs. Bob Foster
Round 5
The Ring Round of the Year
Round 2 vs. Joe Frazier

1973
Next:
George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali
Round 8
Previous:
George Foreman vs. Joe Frazier
The Ring Fight of the Year
vs. Muhammad Ali

1974
Next:
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III
Previous:
George Foreman vs. Joe Frazier
Round 2
The Ring Round of the Year
Round 8 vs. Muhammad Ali

1974
Next:
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III
Round 12
Previous:
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III
The Ring Fight of the Year
vs. Ron Lyle

1976
Next:
George Foreman vs. Jimmy Young
Previous:
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III
Round 12
The Ring Round of the Year
Rounds 4, 5 vs. Ron Lyle

1976
Next:
Leon Spinks vs. Muhammad Ali
Round 15
Previous:
George Foreman vs. Ron Lyle
The Ring Fight of the Year
vs. Jimmy Young

1977
Next:
Leon Spinks vs. Muhammad Ali
Previous:
George Foreman vs. Ron Lyle
Rounds 4, 5
The Ring Round of the Year
Round 12 vs. Jimmy Young

1977
Next:
Leon Spinks vs. Muhammad Ali
Round 15
Records
Previous:
Bob Fitzsimmons
Oldest boxer to win a world title
November 25, 1994 – May 21, 2011
Next:
Bernard Hopkins
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