Boxing legend George Foreman passed away Saturday morning, March 22 (Friday, March 21 in the US), according to his family. He was 76.
“Our hearts are broken. With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved George Edward Foreman Sr. who peacefully departed on March 21, 2025 surrounded by loved ones. A devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand and great grandfather, he lived a life marked by unwavering faith, humility, and purpose,” Foreman’s family announced on his social media account.
Foreman first rose to prominence when he won an Olympic gold medal in 1968. He then turned pro and became one of the heavyweight division’s marque stars—an influential and recognizable figure of boxing for nearly five decades. He was a two-time heavyweight champion and Hall of Famer.
George Foreman: One of the Best in Boxing
“Big” George Foreman compiled a career record of 76 wins, 68 by knockout, and 5 losses. But of his 81 fights, he is arguably most known for the historic Rumble in the Jungle in 1974, where he fought the great Muhammad Ali in Zaire in Africa. Foreman, who was then 40-0 and holder of the WBA, WBC, and The Ring heavyweight titles, lost via 8th-round KO to the then 45-2 Ali.
That Rumble in the Jungle is one of the most-famous fights of all time and was the subject of the critically acclaimed documentary “When We Were Kings.”
Foreman shockingly retired at the young age of 28 after fighting six more times after that shock loss to Ali. He went 5-1 in those six fights, with one of his wins a fifth-round TKO victory of Joe Frazier, whom he previously stopped in two rounds to win his first heavyweight title. He also registered a fifth-round KO of Ron Lyle in yet another explosive fight. Foreman retired after losing to Jimmy Young in his sixth fight during that stretch after a medical scare that the native Texan described as life threatening.
Big George unretired in 1987 and continued fighting until 1997. In 1996, he shocked the boxing world by knocking out Michael Moorer to win the WBA and IBF heavyweight titles and become the oldest heavyweight champ—a record he still holds to this day.
