Boxing heavyweight great George Foreman, who fought Muhammad Ali in the ‘Rumble in the Jungle,' dead at 76

CNN

22-03-2025

George Foreman, the two-time world heavyweight boxing champion and Olympic gold medalist whose legendary rivalry with Muhammad Ali culminated in the famous 'Rumble in the Jungle' title bout, died Friday according to a verified social media account dedicated to Foreman. He was 76.
The Instagram post reads: '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. A devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand and great grandfather, he lived a life marked by unwavering faith, humility, and purpose.
'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.'
Known as one of the most powerful punchers in boxing history, Foreman won Olympic gold in only his 25th amateur fight, devastated one of the all-time greats in Joe Frazier and went on to retain the heavyweight title twice before his now-iconic 1974 fight with Ali in Kinshasha, Zaire - now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Foreman also enjoyed major success as an entrepreneur, with his 'George Foreman Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine' product debuting in 1994 and going on to sell more than 100 million units worldwide.
Foreman's victory over Soviet fighter Jonas Čepulis at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico sparked the beginning of his professional career, but his celebration was also significant.
He took a small American flag and waved it to every corner of the stadium – a memorable moment, given that just ten days earlier his US teammates Tommie Smith and John Carlos gave the Black Power salute on the podium.
It was an action for which Foreman has no regrets, despite backlash when he returned to the US.
He told The Undefeated: 'When I walked into the Olympic Village, I saw a couple of athletes who looked like me. I went to speak to them, but they couldn't speak English. For the first time, I realized that the only thing that could identify us was our nation's colors.
'I waved the flag so they knew I was American. Everyone started applauding, so I waved it higher. That is the only reason I had that flag. If I had to do it all over again, I would have had two flags in my pocket.'
He continued: 'I proudly walked down Lyons Avenue in the Fifth Ward [in Houston] wearing my medal. A guy I thought was a friend walked up, looked me in the face and said, 'How could you do what you did when the brothers [Smith and Carlos] were doing their thing?' It … broke … my … heart. I didn't expect that.'
Foreman turned professional, and won his first 37 bouts before taking on world heavyweight champion Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica, in January 1973.
Despite being the clear underdog, Foreman knocked Frazier down six times in two rounds to claim the WBA and WBC heavyweight belts, and become heavyweight champion.
His two defenses of the title - first downing Puerto Rico's Jose Roman in 50 seconds and then beating American Ken Norton, who had just defeated Ali, in just two rounds – set up the 'Rumble in the Jungle' bout in Zaire in October 1974.
The event had huge cultural and political significance. The decision to hold the fight in Zaire was controversial, with criticism over human rights abuses and corruption under late President Mobutu Sese Seko. It was also seen as a platform for Black athletes to promote African unity.
The fight itself – which saw both contenders guaranteed $5 million each, a huge amount at the time in the sport - is seen as one of the greatest ever.
Using a tactic later known as 'rope-a-dope,' Ali was able to withstand Foreman's punches by leaning back on the ropes, before landing a series of blows in the eighth round in what turned out to be his only knockout defeat in a 28-year professional career.
'I thought this would be the easiest $5 million I was going to pick up,' Foreman told CNN following Ali's death in 2016.
'I hit him hard in the third round, and he looked at me as if to say, 'I'm not gonna take it!'
'He hit me with a quick one-two, knocked me down to the canvas and my whole life changed. I was devastated. Little did I know I would make the best friend I ever had in my life.'
A dedicated Christian, Foreman became an ordained minister after losing his second professional boxing match in 1977 and retired from the sport.
Ten years later, despite being out of shape physically, Foreman returned to the ring at the age of 39, even taking on the 28-year-old Evander Holyfield in 1991 in a fight dubbed 'The Battle of the Ages,' though he ultimately lost via unanimous decision.
Foreman went on to stun the boxing world in 1994 when he won the IBF and WBA heavyweight titles by defeating Michael Moorer. It was 20 years after his loss to Ali.
In an interview with Boxing News in 2023, Foreman said the victory felt more special than his first heavyweight title win against Frazier.
'The second time I made a point of believing it,' he said. 'The first time I didn't believe it. When you fight for the heavyweight championship of the world it does feel unbelievable, it doesn't feel like you're really there, it could be a dream. 'You're going to wake up soon, you don't belong in the ring with these guys.''
Foreman finally retired for good in 1997, with a career record of 76 wins - 68 by KO - and five losses.
An impoverished youngster, Foreman grew up as one of seven children in the troubled Fifth Ward in Houston, and often bullied younger children before dropping out of high school.
He joined the Job Corps when he was 16, doing construction work and forestry – and it was there that he met Job Corps counsellor and boxing coach Doc Broaddus, which set Foreman on the way to a glittering career.
He also launched a clothing line and a short-lived reality TV show starring himself with his wife Mary Joan and 12 children – including five boys named George.
Foreman continued to preach at his church in Houston.
'My mother [Nancy] would have approved of [my ministry work] in a way she never did my boxing,' Foreman told Sorted magazine in March 2024.
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In 2019, Foreman's daughter Freeda, a former professional boxer, died by apparent suicide. He posted on social media about his 'first Sunday in 42 years without my Freeda'.
In 2022, two women accused Foreman of sexually abusing them when they were minors in the 1970s, according to lawsuits filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Foreman denied the allegations, and in March 2024 filed a court declaration requesting that one of the lawsuits was tossed out. CNN has previously reached out to representatives for Foreman for comment on allegations of sexual abuse and assault.
A film about his life – 'Big George Foreman' – was released in 2023. He told CNN that delving into his past was difficult and seeing his struggles growing up on screen moved him to tears.
'You go through life building a big fence, bricks and everything to cover up your life, to hide your life,' he said. 'Then all of a sudden, you got to reveal all those things you're trying to hide.
'It's not easy to tell a story about your life when you really spend a lifetime hiding your life.'
This is a developing story and will be updated.