George Foreman
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George Foreman secured a gold medal in the heavyweight boxing division at the 1968 Summer Olympics and later, at 46 years and 169 days old, became the oldest world heavyweight champion in history.[1][2] Foreman's professional boxing career ended in 1997 when he was 48; his final record shows 76 victories, with 68 coming by knockout, and 5 defeats.[3] Beyond his boxing career, Foreman achieved success as a businessperson, widely recognized for marketing the George Foreman Grill.[4]
Key facts and history
At age 16, he joined Job Corps, earned his GED, and began boxing training.[5] He announced a comeback in 1987 at age 38.[6] In 1994, at age 45, he won the unified WBA, IBF, and lineal heavyweight titles by knocking out Michael Moorer.[7] He retired in 1997 at age 48.[3]
On January 10, 1949, George Edward Foreman was born in Marshall, Texas.[8] At age 15, Foreman left school and engaged in mugging.[5] In the heavyweight division of the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, Foreman earned a gold medal.[1][9] Foreman began his professional boxing career in 1969 and captured the undisputed world heavyweight championship in 1973 by knocking out the previously undefeated Joe Frazier in the second round.[1][10]
What the cited sources add
The same article reports that Foreman hurt Young badly in the seventh round but could not finish him.[11] It also describes Foreman's post-fight religious experience, where he "died and became alive again" in his dressing room.[11]
References
- Wikipedia, "George Foreman" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Greatest Sports Heroes of All Times: North American Edition", Encouragement Press, LLC, August 2006, p. 75–81 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "George Foreman" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Davies, "George Foreman fought five men in one night to get over Muhammad Ali defeat", The Telegraph, March 22, 2025; "Professional boxing record: George Foreman", BoxRec.com (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "George Foreman" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Nair, "Heavyweight icon Foreman's record will remain unbreakable - WBC president Sulaiman", Reuters, March 23, 2025 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "George Foreman" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Heavyweight. IBRO All Time Ratings", Ibroresearch.com; Eisele, Andrew, "Ring Magazine's 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years", Boxing.about.com, February 22, 2018; Eisele, "Ring Magazine's 100 Greatest Punchers", Boxing.about.com; "George Foreman Leaves HBO Sports After Twelve Great Years", PR Newswire, December 4, 2003; "History of the George Foreman Grill", georgeforemancooking.com; Coster, "Millionaire High School Dropouts Page 2 of 2", Forbes, January 30, 2010 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "George Foreman" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Hauser, Melanie. "Houston Sport Hall of Fame 2019: George Foreman." Houston Chronicle. January 2019. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "George Foreman" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Why We Never Saw Foreman-Tyson", Coxscorner.tripod.com (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "George Foreman" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "The Conversion of George Foreman: Packing a Wallop in the Pulpit", The New York Times, August 8, 2015; Oden, "Life in the Ring", Hatherleigh Press, September 29, 2009, p. 73; "Here's a list of every AP male athlete of the year winner since 1931", WXYZ 7 News Detroit, December 27, 2019 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "George Foreman" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Porter, David L., "African-American Sports Greats: A Biographical Dictionary", ABC-CLIO, 1995, p. 94; "Amateur boxing record: George Foreman", BoxRec.com; Foreman, George (2013) George Foreman's Guide to Life: How to Get Up off the Canvas When Life Knocks You Down. Simon & Schuster. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "George Foreman" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Fernandez, Bernard, "Foreman Fondly Remembers "Geezers At Caesars"", The Sweet Science, January 12, 2016; "Frazier & Foreman clinch gold", ESPN.co.uk; Walker, "George Foreman wins gold in 1968 heavyweight title match", Andscape, October 26, 2016 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "George Foreman" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Lotierzo, "Why We Didn't See Foreman – Holmes circa 1975–77", The Sweet Science, February 2026 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- "40 Years Ago Today: Jimmy Young-George Foreman – "He Beat the Devil Out of Me!" – Boxing News", March 17, 2017. facts only, no text reused. boxing247.com
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article George Foreman (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
Career statistics and honours
Medals
- Gold Olympic Games — 1968 Mexico City Heavyweight
Tables copied from the source article, totals included as the source gives them: Wikipedia: George Foreman (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wide tables scroll sideways.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: George Foreman (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Statistics, medals and awards: the tables of the source article.
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