- George Foreman passed away peacefully with family at his side
- Foreman was a two-time heavyweight champion
- Mike Tyson leads the tributes
The world of boxing is in mourning as US heavyweight legend George Foreman has died aged 76. The two-time champion fought Muhammad Ali in one of the sport’s most legendary fights, the Rumble in the Jungle.
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Foreman’s family released a heartfelt statement on social media announcing the sad news: “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.
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They called him “a devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand and great grandfather” – and said he lived with “unwavering faith, humility, and purpose”.
Big George
Known as Big George in the ring, Foreman won Olympic gold in 1968 and turned professional the following year. In an illustrious career, he claimed the world heavyweight title twice – 21 years apart. His second victory, at age 45 against Michael Moorer, made him the oldest heavyweight champion in history.
Unbeaten at the time, he lost his first title to Ali in their famous Rumble in the Jungle fight in 1974. Ali used his rope-a-dope strategy to wear Foreman down before knocking him out. The bout is considered one of the greatest in history between two titans of the boxing ring and one of the most-watched sporting events ever. Overall, Foreman had an incredible 76 wins, including 68 knockouts – nearly twice as many as Ali.
Foreman called time on his astonishing career in 1997. He became an ordained Christian minister, spending years preaching and working with youth programs. He was also a shrewd businessman, and his venture – the George Foreman Grill – earned him hundreds of millions of dollars, dwarfing his boxing earnings. Since its inception in 1994, over 100 million units of the grill have been sold across the worldwide
Tributes to George Foreman
Tributes have poured in from the boxing world and beyond, with former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson posting on X to say Foreman’s “contribution to boxing and beyond will never be forgotten”.
Boxer Chris Eubank Jr, son of former world champion Chris Eubank Sr, shared photos of Foreman in his youth and in his later years on X, writing “Rest in Peace to one of my boxing heroes – The Legendary George Foreman 🙌🏽🙏🏽”.
Legends from the NBA Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen have all paid tributes to the boxing great. In a post on X, Johnson called Foreman “a knockout artist in the ring” while also explaining he bought one of the first George Foreman Grills, referring to him as an “amazing businessman”.
Speaking on CBS Sports, Barkley says he got to know Foreman and always “picked his brain about trying to be an entrepreneur when your career is over.” The former basketball player says Foreman’s death “hurts a lot.”
NBA hall of famer, Pippen, posted a powerful image of Foreman on X, with the words “Rest in peace, George Foreman. Your legacy lives on, champ. 🕊️”
