The rollercoaster life of the “great” George Foreman!

Known as a hard-fisted boxing champion, “Big” George Foreman grew up in poverty in the small town of Marshall, Texas. The fifth of seven children, his father, a railroad worker, and his mother, a housewife, worked hard, but due to lack of finances they moved to Houston to what was known as the Fifth Ward, a rough area.

George would drop out of school and the streets would lead him astray. He found himself in billiard halls and gambling houses. He constantly found himself in arguments because of his size. He was unruly at home and, for days, would disappear.

In 1965, at the age of fifteen, he joined the Job Corps, where George met a supervisor and boxing trainer, Doc Broadus, who found in him not only strength but aggression. George wasn’t interested in boxing at first, but he found it was a way to vent his anger, a way to focus his energy. Under Broadus he learned discipline.

In just three years George found himself on the rise in the world of boxing. In 1968 he represented the United States at the Olympics in Mexico. He won the gold medal and walking to the ring waving an American flag was iconic.

It led him to a professional boxing career under trainer Dick Sadler and legendary promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank. He would turn professional in June 1969, winning his first thirty-seven fights, thirty-four by knockout, including a stoppage over Canadian George Chuvalo, 59-15-2, and a decision over South American contender Gregorio ‘Goro’ Peralta, 74. -5-8, both at Madison Square Garden.

In January 1973 in Kingston, Jamaica, George stopped undefeated champion, 29-0, and former Olympic gold medalist ‘Smokin’ Joe Frazier in two rounds, making him lose six times. After defending by knockout Joe ‘King’ Roman, 44-7-1, in Tokyo in the first round and future champion Ken Norton, 30-2, exited by splitting two matches with Ali, Caracas, Venezuela, stopping him in two rounds , faced former champion Muhammad Ali, 44-2, in Zaire, Africa, losing the title by being stopped in eight rounds.

Foreman returned to win over Ron Lyle, 31-3-1, in a fight that Ring Magazine called the 1976 bout “The Fight of the Year.” For four rounds, they traded punch after punch until he stopped Lyle in the fifth round. Then, the return match with Frazier dropped him twice in the fifth before stopping him.

Then, after scoring three knockouts, he faced Philly’s Jimmy Young, 20-5-2, in San Juan, PR, being knocked out in the twelfth and final round, losing a decision in June 1977 and retiring from the ring. In his dressing room he had a vision of Jesus Christ, which would eventually lead him to the ministry.

George would return to the ring after a nearly ten-year absence, winning twenty-four fights in a row, facing champion Evander ‘The Real Deal Holyfield, 25-0, in Atlantic City, losing by decision.

After winning three fights, George would lose to Tommy “The Duke” Morrison, 36-1, in Las Vegas. Somehow, despite coming out defeated in November 1994, he would fight for the world title at age 45 against WBA and IBF champion Michael ‘Double M’ Moorer, 35-0, in Las Vegas. Behind all scores he knocked out Moorer in the tenth round for the title.

George was stripped of his WBA title when he refused to fight Tony “TNT” Tucker. He returned to the ring in April 1995, winning a controversial majority decision over German Axel Schulz, 21-1-1, in Las Vegas, adding the vacant WBU title. He was then stripped of the IBF title for refusing to give Schulz a rematch.

In November 1996, George returned to the ring in Japan, defeating Crawford “The Terminator” Grimsley, 20-0, in 12 rounds, adding the IBA belt. In April 1997, he won a split decision over Lou Savarese, 36-0, in Atlantic City.

In November, George’s career ended, losing a controversial decision to Shannon “The Cannon” Briggs, 29-1, in Atlantic City. His final record was 76-5 with 68 knockouts.

George would go on to make a fortune selling the George Foreman Grill.