Advertisement League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories 'Big George' Foreman, the boxing icon who died on Friday, celebratingAlamy Stock Photo Freebig george Boxing legend George Foreman dies aged 76 ‘Big George’ was a two-time heavyweight world champion 20 years apart, and fought Muhammad Ali in ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’. 2.59am, 22 Mar 2025 Share options BOXING ICON GEORGE Foreman has died aged 76, his family have confirmed. The two-time heavyweight world champion and Olympic gold medallist died “peacefully”, a statement said, while “surrounded by loved ones”. Foreman, one of the greatest heavyweight boxers to have ever lived, also became a successful entrepreneur, minister, and author later in his storied life. The six-foot-three Texan took up amateur boxing after a troubled childhood and won gold at the Mexico Olympics in 1968. ‘Big George’ went on to become professional boxing’s most fearsome heavyweight during his division’s most glorious era, which included Muhammad Ali who famously bested Foreman in ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’ in 1974. The heavy-handed Foreman, who won the title a year earlier with a stunning second-round knockout of the then-undefeated Joe Frazier, defended his crown twice before falling to Ali in Zaire. George Foreman TKO'd an undefeated Joe Frazier to win the WBA, WBC, and The Ring heavyweight titles in 1973 🙏🕊️pic.twitter.com/3dEwldz4SA— DraftKings (@DraftKings) March 22, 2025 Can you believe 50 years ago, the “Rumble in the Jungle,” fighting Muhammad Ali. Looking back at the best time of my life—celebrate with me with a slice of cake, as I relive the “Rope-a-Dope.” —George Foreman pic.twitter.com/AaSs5Ca42d— George Foreman (@GeorgeForeman) October 30, 2024 Advertisement Despite returning in 1976 with successive fifth-round victories over fellow contenders Ron Lyle and Frazier (again), and reeling off three further knockout wins, Foreman was initially unable to secure another shot at the title and retired from boxing following a points loss to the relatively unheralded Jimmy Young in 1977. Foreman was ordained as a Christian minister following his retirement but returned to the ring as a 36-year-old after a decade-long hiatus in 1987. Remarkably, he worked his way back to heavyweight title contention by mowing down a string of decent-quality opposition including Gerry Cooney in 1990. A year later, at the age of 42, he landed his first title shot in 17 years, coming up short against unified champion Evander Holyfield. But Foreman persevered and in November 1994, as a 45-year-old, he became the oldest heavyweight world champion in boxing history when he produced an extraordinary come-from-behind knockout of the 35-0 Michael Moorer, stopping the beltholder in the 10th round while trailing significantly on two of the judges’ scorecards. Foreman, 20 years and a week after his defeat to Ali, was king of the world once more. #OnThisDay in 1994 - George Foreman defeated Michael Moorer by KO in round 10 of 12 to win the WBA, IBF & lineal heavyweight titles. Big George becomes a two-time heavyweight champion & the oldest heavyweight champion ever. pic.twitter.com/5dyfkToSSB— 𝑲𝒏𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝑱𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒔 (@KOJournals) November 5, 2023 He defended his belts once before relinquishing them, fighting on until 1997 when he dropped a majority decision to Shannon Briggs. Foreman retired for good two months shy of his 49th birthday. His final record in the professional boxing ring was 76-5 (68KOs), giving him a phenomenal knockout ratio of close to 90% across a career that spanned three decades. Foreman is the second oldest boxer in any weight class to have won a world title, with fellow American great Bernard Hopkins breaking his record on three separate occasions at light-heavyweight in the 2010s. Two years after his definitive retirement, Foreman sold the commercial rights to the George Foreman Grill for $138 million. He is understood to have earned significantly more than that from the ‘Lean, Mean Grilling Machine’ throughout its existence. Muhammad Ali and George Foreman during 1974's 'Rumble in the Jungle' in Zaire.Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Muhammad Ali pictured in 1989.Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Foreman, who became a revered boxing analyst on HBO in the 2000s, was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003. A statement from his family on Friday night read: “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 humanitarian, an Olympian, and two-time heavyweight champion of the world, he was deeply respected — a force for good, a man of discipline, conviction and a protector of his legacy, fighting tirelessly to preserve his good name — for his family. “We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers, and kindly ask for privacy as we honor the extraordinary life of a man we were blessed to call our own.” Gavan Casey Viewcomments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “Boxing legend George Foreman dies aged 76”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “Boxing legend George Foreman dies aged 76”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. Please give full details of the problem with the comment... This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy before taking part. Leave a Comment Submit a report Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines. Damaging the good reputation of someone, slander, or libel. Racism or Hate speech An attack on an individual or group based on religion, race, gender, or beliefs. Trolling or Off-topic An attempt to derail the discussion. Inappropriate language Profanity, obscenity, vulgarity, or slurs. Advertising, phishing, scamming, bots, or repetitive posts. Please provide additional information Thank you for the feedback Your feedback has been sent to our team for review. Leave a commentcancel Access to the comments facility has been disabled for this user View our policy ⚠️ Duplicate comment Post Comment have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion News in 60 seconds Freepick of the bunch O’Callaghan leads winners at club player of the year awards FreeAll Square Isaac Price scores again as Northern Ireland draw at home to Switzerland FreeUp and Running England's Tuchel era starts with laboured defeat of Albania FreeLillywhites Dundalk come from behind against Longford to continue unbeaten start Munster can't hold on as Glasgow snatch dramatic late win Alisson Becker returns early from Brazil duty after suspected concussion Lowry pushes into contention at Valspar Championship Barrett, Snyman, and Culhane come into Leinster XV to face Bulls Kate O'Connor in bronze medal position ahead of last event at World Indoors Munster can't hold on as Glasgow snatch dramatic late win Sophie O'Sullivan runs personal best but misses out on place in final more from us Investigates Daft.ie Property Magazine Allianz Home Magazine The 42 Sports Magazine Money Diaries The Journal TV Journal Media Advertise With Us About FactCheck Our Network FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition more from us TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Journal Media Advertise With Us Our Network The Journal FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition © 2025 Journal Media Ltd Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition Switch to Desktop Switch to Mobile The 42 supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at https://www.presscouncil.ie, PH: (01) 6489130, Lo-Call 1800 208 080 or email: mailto:info@presscouncil.ie Report an error, omission or problem: Your Email (optional) Create Email Alert Create an email alert based on the current article Email Address One email every morning As soon as new articles come online Sign in or create a free account To continue reading create a free account Or sign into an existing account