The sports world is in mourning following the announcement that boxing legend George Foreman passed away at 76 on March 21, 2025. You know him as the grill guy, the Olympic gold medalist, or the two-time heavyweight champion, but there was so much more to “Big George” than meets the eye.
With his infectious smile and booming laugh, Foreman wasn’t just a fighter – he was a cultural icon who reinvented himself more times than most of us change our hairstyles.
As tributes pour in from across the globe, from boxing enthusiasts to backyard grill masters, we’re all reminiscing about the man who could knock you out in the ring and then sell you the perfect way to make a lean burger right after.
Let’s dive into the surprising life of this gentle giant who left an indelible mark not only on boxing but also on American pop culture. Trust me, even if you think you know Foreman’s story, some of these facts might just knock you out (pun absolutely intended).
1. He was once a street thug before boxing saved him
Can you believe that the same guy who later became America’s favorite grill pitchman once robbed people on the streets of Houston? It’s true! Before George Foreman was knocking out opponents in the ring, he was knocking down unsuspecting folks in his neighborhood.
Growing up dirt poor in Houston’s Fifth Ward (we’re talking serious hardship here), young George dropped out of school in the ninth grade and turned to mugging people to survive.
By his own admission, he was a full-fledged street thug, attacking people and swiping their cash almost daily. His life took a 180-degree turn when he joined the Job Corps at 16 – a decision that literally saved him from prison or worse.
There, Doc Broaddus, a Job Corps counselor and boxing coach, spotted his raw athletic talent and introduced him to boxing. Talk about a lucky break! Within just a few years, this former street kid was standing on an Olympic podium with a gold medal around his neck. If that’s not the definition of a dramatic life turnaround, I don’t know what is!
2. He became a minister after a religious experience
Here’s where George’s story gets really wild – and I mean seriously wild. Picture this: It’s March 17, 1977, and Foreman just lost a tough fight to Jimmy Young in Puerto Rico. He heads back to his dressing room, exhausted and dehydrated. What happens next? Nothing short of a spiritual earthquake!
Foreman later described experiencing what he thought was death itself. He’d recall, with that serious look that could make even the toughest boxing fans quiet down,
I was gone. I was in a deep, dark place—like an endless pit.
In that sweltering dressing room, the fearsome fighter who had terrified opponents with his scowl and devastating punches found himself begging for his life.
He felt like God was drawing the hate out of him. This wasn’t just some momentary religious feeling – it completely transformed him. In his own words:
No amount of money could compare to getting my life back that night in 1977.
The scary, scowling George Foreman disappeared overnight. He walked away from boxing at the peak of his career (turning down millions, by the way), became an ordained minister, and established the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Houston.
For ten whole years, the guy who was once the most feared man in boxing focused on saving souls instead of knocking out opponents. Now, that’s what we call a career change!
3. His comeback was initially ridiculed
Let us set the scene for you: It’s 1987, and a 38-year-old, significantly overweight preacher announces he’s returning to professional boxing after a decade away from the sport. Can you imagine the laughter? The eye-rolling? The sports columns dripping with sarcasm? “George Foreman is making a comeback” sounded like the setup to a punchline rather than a serious athletic endeavor.
When he first waddled back into the ring, the once-lean fighting machine was carrying more than 30 extra pounds and had been out of competition for a hot minute! The boxing experts were brutal, calling it everything from “sad” to “dangerous.”
But here’s where it gets good – George didn’t just compete; he started winning! And not just against tomato cans either. The new Foreman was different – slower, sure, but weirdly more effective with his methodical style and that granite chin that could absorb punches all day long.
As his win streak grew, the jokes died down, replaced by genuine curiosity: could this middle-aged minister actually be championship material again? When he eventually knocked out Michael Moorer in 1994 to reclaim the heavyweight title at age 45 – BOOM! Sports history was rewritten.
Foreman became the oldest heavyweight champion ever. And that too, with the longest gap between championships, writing the greatest sports comeback story on this side of Muhammad Ali.
4. The George Foreman Grill has earned him more than boxing ever did
Here’s a mind-blowing fact that’ll make you rethink your career choices: All those brutal punches George took to the head? All those grueling training camps? All those championship belts? They earned him millions, sure – but that’s pocket change compared to what he made by simply smiling and holding a little countertop grill on TV!
The George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine might sound like a silly infomercial product now, but it completely revolutionized home cooking in the 1990s. And boy, did it make George rich! We’re talking about over $200 million in wealth from that endorsement deal alone – way more than he ever made getting punched in the face professionally.
But get this – the hilarious twist to the story is that George wasn’t even the company’s first choice! The marketing geniuses behind the grill initially approached Hulk Hogan, of all people.
Can you imagine? “Whatcha gonna do, brother, when these delicious fat-free burgers run wild on you?!” But Hogan passed on the deal, and the rest is kitchen appliance history.
What made Foreman so perfect for selling grills wasn’t just his name recognition – it was that complete personality transformation from his earlier boxing days. That gentle giant with a big smile who talked about healthy eating connected with middle America in a way that few celebrity endorsers ever have.
5. He named all his sons George
Okay, let’s talk about perhaps the quirkiest George Foreman fact of all – a decision so unusual that it still makes people do a double-take when they hear it for the first time. The man named all five of his sons George. Yes, you read that correctly! George Jr., George III, George IV, George V, and George VI. Can you imagine the confusion at dinner time?
When asked about this highly unconventional naming convention (which would drive any kindergarten teacher absolutely bonkers), Foreman had a surprisingly thoughtful explanation:
I named all my sons George Edward Foreman so they would always have something in common,
He once explained with that characteristic warm chuckle.
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!’
It gets even better: to avoid total household chaos, the Foreman boys all have nicknames. Monk, Red, Joe, Big Wheel, and Little Joey. And just when you think the George train had reached its final station, Foreman named one of his daughters Georgetta! We’re not making this up!
What makes this even more endearing is how Foreman, who grew up without knowing his biological father, created this unique bond with his sons. It wasn’t ego – it was his way of building a legacy and connection that he never had growing up. Strange? Absolutely. Heartwarming in its own weird way? You bet!
6. He was the oldest boxer to ever win a World Championship
Let’s put George’s 1994 championship victory into perspective because, honestly, it’s hard to overstate just how bonkers this achievement really was. When Foreman stepped into the ring against Michael Moorer on November 5, 1994, he wasn’t just old for a boxer – he was practically boxing’s equivalent of a dinosaur at 45 years old!
Remember, this is heavyweight boxing we’re talking about – not golf or bowling, where you can compete at higher ages. This is a brutal sport where most fighters are considered washed up by their mid-30s. And here comes George, old enough to be many boxers’ father, wearing those same red trunks he wore when he lost to Muhammad Ali two decades earlier.
For the first nine rounds, the 26-year-old Moorer was schooling him, too. Foreman was losing badly on all scorecards. Then BOOM! In the 10th round, Foreman landed that straight right hand that dropped Moorer like a sack of potatoes. The boxing world collectively lost its mind!
This wasn’t just breaking a record; it was shattering what experts thought was humanly possible in the sport. Not only was George now the oldest heavyweight champion ever (by a mile), but he had also created the longest gap between championship reigns in boxing history – a stunning 20 years after losing his title to Ali in the Rumble in the Jungle.
7. He contemplated yet another comeback at age 55
Just when you thought George Foreman’s boxing story couldn’t get any more outlandish, here’s a jaw-dropper for you: Even after officially hanging up his gloves in 1997 at the ripe old age of 48 (ancient by boxing standards), the comeback bug bit him again seven years later! Yes, in 2004, at the age of 55, Foreman seriously considered stepping back into the ring professionally.
In an interview with VOA, Foreman said,
America is the home of one, two, even three chances to do whatever you want to do. I was heavyweight champion of the world at 45 [years of age.] This is when people stop dreaming and this is when my dream came true-at the age of 45, a senior. So, the idea is that you can dream and dream until you get tired of dreaming. You never have to stop. And going into the world of business, equally, with much strength and do not let anybody tell you that you cannot do it.
He even had a specific opponent in mind – he wanted to challenge David Tua. He said,
David Tua was the No.1 contender at the time and I knew I could beat him.
Thankfully, Foreman’s family staged what amounted to a full-scale intervention. His wife reportedly convinced him by saying,
George, isn’t that the way you want to leave the sport, thinking you can still do it?
Foreman eventually relented. But you know what? Given his history of proving doubters wrong, who’s brave enough to say he couldn’t have?
A legacy beyond the ring
When we look at George Foreman’s utterly wild journey through life – from bullying on the streets to Olympic gold medalist, from terrifying heavyweight champion to smiling preacher, from middle-aged comeback king to billionaire grill salesman – we’re not just seeing a career, we’re witnessing one of the most remarkable human transformations in American pop culture.
Witnessed the marvel that was George Foreman in person vs Evander Holyfield in Atlantic City in 1991. Was in total awe. Total disbelief. The athlete, the size, the power, never sat down between rounds. One of the greatest athletic events I have ever witnessed. Condolences to his…
— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) March 22, 2025
Think about it: How many people get one act in the public spotlight? George Foreman had at least four, each more improbable than the last!
That permanent smile that seemed to stretch from ear to ear (so different from his early scowling days), that folksy wisdom, that boundless optimism in the face of ridicule – these weren’t just marketing gimmicks. They were the authentic expressions of a man who had truly found peace with himself.
As the boxing world and beyond mourns Big George’s passing, we’re not just saying goodbye to a guy with an impressive 76-5 professional record. We’re saying farewell to living proof that it’s never too late to completely reinvent yourself, that second acts (and third and fourth acts!) can actually outshine your first big success, and that with a little faith and a lot of determination, your best days might still be ahead of you – even when everyone else thinks you’re finished.
The next time you cook a burger on your countertop grill, give a little nod to George. From street tough to America’s jovial grilling grandpa – now that’s a transformation worth celebrating!
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