Boxing Icon George Foreman Passes Away at 76

George Foreman, a boxing icon, held the world heavyweight title on two separate occasions during his extensive career.

George Foreman, the celebrated boxer and two-time world heavyweight champion, has died at 76, his family announced Saturday via Instagram. Known in the ring as ‘Big George,’ the American athlete enjoyed a lengthy and impressive career in boxing.

Foreman began his boxing journey in amateur competitions after relocating from Texas to California. He retired in 1997 with a record of 76 wins, including 68 knockouts, and only five defeats.

“It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of our beloved George Edward Foreman Sr, who passed away peacefully on March 21, 2025, surrounded by his family,” the family stated.

Foreman captured the heavyweight gold medal at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City at the age of 19. Five years later, he secured his first world heavyweight championship. He repeated this feat in 1994 at the age of 45, making history as the oldest heavyweight champion.

One of Foreman’s most memorable fights was against Muhammad Ali in 1974, a bout he lost by an eighth-round knockout. This fight was documented in the Oscar-winning film ‘When We Were Kings’. Following the loss to Ali, the boxing legend participated in five more fights before retiring to become an ordained minister in Texas, his home state. However, he made a comeback to boxing in 1987 at the age of 38.

In 1994, he introduced the George Foreman Grill, which went on to sell over 100 million units globally. He sold the rights to the grill for $138 million in 1999.

His final fight occurred in November 1997, resulting in a majority decision loss to Shannon Briggs. In 2002, Foreman was recognized as one of the 25 greatest fighters of the last 80 years by The Ring magazine, which also ranked him as the ninth-greatest puncher of all time. He served as an HBO ringside analyst for 12 years, concluding in 2004.

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