George Foreman, the captivating boxer who later became a household name through his infomercial success with the Foreman Grill, passed away on Friday at the age of 76.
Born in Texas, Foreman achieved global fame as the Heavyweight Champion of the World, transitioning from the boxing ring to become a TV personality and pop culture figure. He was at the center of historic boxing rivalries, including with Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and other prominent fighters of the 1970s. In the 1990s, he capitalized on the popularity of infomercials, promoting his Foreman Grill, which became a commercial hit.
Foreman famously stepped away from boxing in 1977 after a near-death experience in the ring. He turned to Christianity, became a born-again Christian, and was ordained as a minister in 1978, preaching in his hometown of Houston. In a stunning turn, he returned to boxing in 1987 and regained the Heavyweight Champion title in 1994. He retired from boxing for good in 1997.
Beyond his business achievements, Foreman led Houston’s Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, where he preached regularly, four times a week.
In his later years, Foreman participated in multiple documentary projects that chronicled his life, boxing career, and the era during which he rose to prominence. His story was also told in the 2023 biopic Big George Foreman, directed by George Tillman Jr. In the film, Khris Davis portrayed Foreman, focusing on his unexpected comeback in the 1980s and ’90s.
His family confirmed his death via an Instagram post on Friday.
Born on January 10, 1949, in Marshall, Texas, Foreman grew up in severe poverty in a town located about 40 miles west of Shreveport, Louisiana. He gained national attention after winning a gold medal in boxing at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
According to Foreman’s official website, “Foreman often bullied younger children and didn’t like getting up early for school. Foreman became a mugger and brawler on the hard streets of Houston’s Fifth Ward by age 15.”
Eventually, Foreman was guided toward boxing through the Lyndon B. Johnson Job Corps program in Texas. By the late 1960s, he had risen through the ranks, ultimately claiming the Heavyweight Championship in January 1973 by defeating Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica. This fight also marked the first-ever boxing broadcast on the then-new pay TV channel HBO.
The following year, Foreman faced a rejuvenated Ali in the “Rumble in the Jungle” in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ali triumphed both in the ring and in public relations, but Foreman rebounded, winning his next five fights by knockout.
Foreman became an enduring TV figure after regaining his title as the oldest Heavyweight Champion in history, appearing on talk shows such as The Tonight Show and Late Night With David Letterman. He was known for his down-to-earth demeanor and his large family, which included many children and grandchildren. His George Foreman Grill, a convenient indoor grilling device, became a retail phenomenon starting in the early 1990s.
In addition to his business ventures, Foreman starred in the short-lived 1993 ABC sitcom George, where he played a retired boxer who runs an after-school program for troubled youth. He also hosted Saturday Night Live in 1994.
Foreman made cameo appearances and had small roles in a variety of TV shows and films over the years, often playing a version of himself or a similar character. Notable appearances included Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, The Fighter, The Masked Singer, The Larry Sanders Show, Home Improvement, and King of the Hill.
