{"id":35163,"date":"2025-03-22T08:07:08","date_gmt":"2025-03-22T08:07:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=35163"},"modified":"2025-03-22T08:07:08","modified_gmt":"2025-03-22T08:07:08","slug":"rip-george-foreman-the-two-time-heavyweight-champion-olympic-gold-medalist-and-proud-houston-native-has-died-at-76-his-family-described-him-as-a-man-of-deep-faith-discipline-and-unwavering-lov","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=35163","title":{"rendered":"RIP: George Foreman, the two-time heavyweight champion, Olympic gold medalist, and proud Houston native, has died at 76. His family described him as a man of deep faith, discipline, and unwavering love for his legacy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-v-d11d7278=\"\"><span class=\"dateline\"><strong>LOS ANGELES<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0<\/span>George Foreman, the larger-than-life two-time heavyweight boxing champion, Olympic gold medalist, minister, and entrepreneur, died Friday at age 76, his family announced.<\/p>\n<div id=\"taboola-mid-article-thumbnails\" class=\"trc_related_container tbl-trecs-container trc_spotlight_widget trc_elastic trc_elastic_thumbnails-o\" data-v-d11d7278=\"\" data-placement-name=\"Mid Article Thumbnails\">\n<div class=\"trc_rbox_container\">\n<div>\n<div id=\"trc_wrapper_7288487721\" class=\"trc_rbox thumbnails-o trc-content-sponsored\">\n<div id=\"outer_7288487721\" class=\"trc_rbox_outer\">\n<div id=\"rbox-t2m\" class=\"trc_rbox_div trc_rbox_border_elm\">\n<div id=\"internal_trc_7288487721\">\n<div class=\"videoCube trc_spotlight_item origin-default textItem thumbnail_top videoCube_1_child syndicatedItem trc-first-recommendation trc-spotlight-first-recommendation trc_excludable\" data-item-id=\"~~V1~~-5563969377961034217~~0hc_oGor_6oMREe_8svdotGKOHYCgHqwZgNLLgRyH4x9_9IWyVTZYEw3zPc60dwzHu_TYvngZ3fIkOCpr71_kAqE0_yL1hRu0U20mv8_l156tow7dhJHlDHsbuGMGz2urBbjl5cBWFp-I4n31TL2ZMpS5HJq2Hmich_uRAWMw2aJESx2bX0IuaTE85dDxMUZpUr3Zi4Qnzdg06WNzRVh1vxFST8vKthpGSUELr5Gekk\" data-item-title=\"Th\u00e1ch Th\u1ee9c Khi V\u1eadn Chuy\u1ec3n H\u00e0ng H\u00f3a N\u1eb7ng? Tham Kh\u1ea3o L\u1eddi Khuy\u00ean\" data-item-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.taboola.com\/libtrc\/static\/thumbnails\/3d5c9d8673e15f148428b3322f5b25b9.png\" data-item-syndicated=\"true\">\n<div class=\"thumbBlock_holder\">\n<p data-v-d11d7278=\"\">Known as much for his powerful presence in the ring as for his faith and humility outside of it, Foreman passed away peacefully on March 21, surrounded by loved ones.<\/p>\n<p data-v-d11d7278=\"\">His family shared the news in a\u00a0heartfelt Instagram\u00a0post, calling him &#8220;a force for good&#8221; who lived a life of &#8220;unwavering faith, humility, and purpose.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div data-v-d11d7278=\"\"><\/div>\n<p data-v-d11d7278=\"\">They described him as &#8220;a devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand and great grandfather,&#8221; and called him &#8220;a force for good, a man of discipline, conviction, and a protector of his legacy.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 data-v-d11d7278=\"\"><strong>How George Foreman became a boxing legend<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-v-ec26887a=\"\" data-v-d11d7278=\"\">The backstory:<\/p>\n<p data-v-d11d7278=\"\">Born and raised in Houston\u2019s Fifth Ward, George Foreman rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most respected names in sports history. He first gained national attention by winning a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, representing the U.S. in the heavyweight division.<\/p>\n<p data-v-d11d7278=\"\">He went on to claim the heavyweight world title in 1973, famously defeating Joe Frazier with a dominant second-round knockout. Foreman\u2019s early boxing career was marked by his power and intensity, but after a shocking loss to Muhammad Ali in 1974\u2019s iconic &#8220;Rumble in the Jungle,&#8221; Foreman\u2019s life took a spiritual turn.<\/p>\n<div class=\"full-width-image\" data-v-0dea8073=\"\" data-v-d11d7278=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.foxtv.com\/static.livenowfox.com\/www.livenowfox.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/932\/524\/gettyimages-1252218237.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"\" data-v-0dea8073=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"info\" data-v-0dea8073=\"\">\n<p data-v-0dea8073=\"\"><span data-v-0dea8073=\"\">George Foreman at the premiere of &#8220;Big George Foreman&#8221; held at Regal L.A. Live on April 26, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-v-d11d7278=\"\">After retiring in 1977, he became an ordained minister and opened a youth center in Houston. He returned to boxing a decade later in one of the sport\u2019s most remarkable comebacks. At age 45, he became the oldest heavyweight champion in history when he defeated Michael Moorer in 1994.<\/p>\n<h2 data-v-d11d7278=\"\"><strong>What made Foreman a cultural icon beyond the ring<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-v-ec26887a=\"\" data-v-d11d7278=\"\">Big picture view:<\/p>\n<p data-v-d11d7278=\"\">While Foreman was revered as a fighter, his post-boxing career turned him into a household name. He became the face of the\u00a0<strong>George Foreman Grill<\/strong>, which sold over 100 million units worldwide and helped him build a business empire.<\/p>\n<p data-v-d11d7278=\"\">He also authored several books, appeared in commercials, and shared his story as a preacher and motivational speaker. In 2023, his extraordinary life was chronicled in the biopic &#8220;Big George Foreman,&#8221; which portrayed his rise, fall, and spiritual rebirth.<\/p>\n<p data-v-d11d7278=\"\">Throughout it all, Foreman remained deeply connected to his hometown of Houston. &#8220;I love this city,&#8221; he told the\u00a0Houston Chronicle in 201<a href=\"https:\/\/www.houstonchronicle.com\/local\/history\/houston-legends\/article\/George-Foreman-thrives-as-boxer-entrepreneur-8314425.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">6<\/a>. &#8220;I really do.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>LOS ANGELES\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0George Foreman, the larger-than-life two-time heavyweight boxing champion, Olympic gold medalist, minister, and entrepreneur, died Friday at age 76, his family announced. Known as much for&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":35165,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>RIP: George Foreman, the two-time heavyweight champion, Olympic gold medalist, and proud Houston native, has died at 76. 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