George Foreman

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Birthday:

10 January 1949, Marshall, Texas, USA

Birth Name:

George Edward Foreman

Height:

192 cm

George Foreman was boxing's most feared fighter from 1973-1974. Undefeated in 40 straight fights, 37 by knockout, he was on a 24 consecutive knockout run when he faced Muhammad Ali on October 30, 1974 in defense of his world heavyweight title in Zaire, Africa. A product of a poor family, Foreman was in constant trouble with the law. He credits the Job Corp with turning his life around. Started boxing as an amateur and, in less than three years, captured a gold medal in the 1968 Olympic Games. Lost only 2 out of 24 amateur fights. Turned pro under the guidance of veteran trainer Dick Saddler. Foreman was a stablemate of former heavyweight king Charles "Sonny" Liston and Charlie Snips. Foreman idolized Liston and copied his ring style and mannerisms. Foreman used a piercing stare to intimated his opponents ala Liston. He was criticized for beating second rate opponents, yet had scored victories over credible fighters like George Chuvallo, Boone Kirkman and Gregorio Peralta. Destroyed undefeated Joe Frazier in two brutal rounds to capture the world title in 1973; Frazier was knocked down six times. Destroyed Jose "King" Roman in one round and Ken Norton in two rounds to retain his title. Foreman was knocked out by 3-1 underdog Muhammad Ali in 8 rounds. Foreman fought 5 men in one night in a 1975 exhibition. Won five straight knockouts on the comeback trail before being decked and decision-ed by Jimmy Young in Puerto Rico in 1977. Foreman claimed to have seen God in his dressing room following the defeat and announced he was going to become a preacher and retire from boxing. Preached for 10 years and blew up to 300 pounds. Decided to return to the ring to raise money for his church; experts laughed, but Foreman racked up 18 straight knockout victories. He was defeated in a title bid by Evander Holyfield but, a few years later, shocked the world by knocking out undefeated World Heavyweight Champion Michael Moorer (36-0) to become champion again at 45. Made a few successful defenses before losing his title by a controversial decision to Shannon Briggs. Show less «

Food makes me happy.""I'm on a see-food diet. I see food, I eat it."[plugging his TV series] "And you better be watching, or I'll beat you u...Show more »

Food makes me happy.""I'm on a see-food diet. I see food, I eat it."[plugging his TV series] "And you better be watching, or I'll beat you up and eat all of your food. Show less «

On his boxing comeback, "I didn't come back for the money. I just got sick of beating people up for free."

I called them all George because I was worried that when I was older I might suffer from memory loss. I would have called my five girls Geor...Show more »

I called them all George because I was worried that when I was older I might suffer from memory loss. I would have called my five girls George, too, but my wife said she thought that was overkill. When one of them is naughty, I shout 'George!' and that one knows who I mean. The only time it is awkward for me is when a teacher calls up and say we have a problem with George, and I have to ask them which one. Show less «

As a child I was sometimes so hungry that I used to dream that one day I'd get locked in a grocery store.

I never did anything for personal gain. When I was a boxer, I wanted to be champion of the world, not the richest man in the world. If you c...Show more »

I never did anything for personal gain. When I was a boxer, I wanted to be champion of the world, not the richest man in the world. If you can maintain that integrity in whatever you do, you can't go wrong. That's what I tell my kids, anyway. Show less «

My mother used to tell me, "You live and learn. Then you die and forget it all."

The seventies are the best years. That's when you're wise.

I called Muhammad the other day. I said, "Muhammad, I think I can really get you now in a rematch." And he said, "You crazy!". He doesn't sp...Show more »

I called Muhammad the other day. I said, "Muhammad, I think I can really get you now in a rematch." And he said, "You crazy!". He doesn't speak rapidly, but he said, "George, I'm coming to see you." He said it with such love. No, I don't have any regrets. Show less «

After I lost to Muhammad Ali in Zaire, I told everybody that I was robbed. The ropes were loose, the water was drugged....Then, once I'd cha...Show more »

After I lost to Muhammad Ali in Zaire, I told everybody that I was robbed. The ropes were loose, the water was drugged....Then, once I'd changed my nature, I realized what a blemish I'd put on this great man's career. Why would I go out and spit on his victory to mess up this great man's name? Show less «

Can't retire from exercising.

Joe Frazier told me why he had that hate for Muhammad Ali. Muhammad was calling him an Uncle Tom. Kids would go to school and taunt his chil...Show more »

Joe Frazier told me why he had that hate for Muhammad Ali. Muhammad was calling him an Uncle Tom. Kids would go to school and taunt his children, and they'd come home and his wife would hear about it. What bothered Joe was that every morning he'd get up really early, when it was dark, to get the roadwork in. He always wore this big hood over his head when he ran. And he said, "Man, I don't want my wife thinking I'm peeping into people's windows. The point is, at the time, Joe didn't get what an Uncle Tom was. He hated Muhammad because he thought Ali was calling him a Peepin' Tom. If someone would have explained to Joe what an Uncle Tom was, he might not have ever hated Ali. Show less «

I love Joe Frazier. He's been an original from day one. A few years back, Joe, Muhammad, and I did a video in England. After the taping, we ...Show more »

I love Joe Frazier. He's been an original from day one. A few years back, Joe, Muhammad, and I did a video in England. After the taping, we were at a charity dinner with some of the royal family. They were serving lamb chops with mint jelly -- beautiful food. The waiter asked, "Can I get you anything else?" And Joe said, "I want some more green jelly." The waiter said, "Do you mean mint sauce?" And Joe said, "Same thing." And I thought, Some people put on a face for you and a face for someone else. But this man has only one face. "Same thing." If you understood what he said, why did you need to correct him? Show less «

The first thing that came into my mind when I signed the grill contract for $137.5 million was, I'm going to make my sisters millionaires. A...Show more »

The first thing that came into my mind when I signed the grill contract for $137.5 million was, I'm going to make my sisters millionaires. After all these years, they're finally going to be millionaires. And they did become millionaires -- with the same old troubles as everybody else. Show less «

Losing your mother is the most mysterious lostness. You know how the astronauts walk in space, attached to the spacecraft by a line? The mom...Show more »

Losing your mother is the most mysterious lostness. You know how the astronauts walk in space, attached to the spacecraft by a line? The moment you find out your mother's died, you feel like someone's slipped the line off the craft. You're just floating away. Floating... floating... I remember my daughter called and said, "Don't you worry. I'm on my way." All the sudden that line snagged and I was anchored again. Show less «

Preaching is the most original thing I've ever done. There's nothing familiar about it. You have to be brave.

Winning the title for a second time from Michael Moorer was a special moment. But it was nothing beyond that. A week later, people were heap...Show more »

Winning the title for a second time from Michael Moorer was a special moment. But it was nothing beyond that. A week later, people were heaping praises on me, and it was hard because you've gotta act like it's still important. But it was already over. Show less «

Changing your nature is the hardest thing to do. But I discovered that you can be who you choose to be.

All my sons are named George Foreman. They all know where they came from.

As an adult, I found out that my dad, J.D. Foreman, was not my biological dad. My mom and J.D. had broken up for a time, and that's when I w...Show more »

As an adult, I found out that my dad, J.D. Foreman, was not my biological dad. My mom and J.D. had broken up for a time, and that's when I was conceived. That's why my brothers and sisters called me Mo-head. What they were really saying was Moorehead. My biological dad was named Leroy Moorehead. Show less «

Evil lurks where disappointment lodges.

I'll tell you how low a man can go. There was a B.B. King song that went, "Nobody loves me but my mother/And she could be jiving', too.

Imagine losing everything you think matters to you in ten seconds.

The day after I lost to Muhammad Ali, people came by and put a hand on my shoulder and said, "It's okay, George. You'll have another chance....Show more »

The day after I lost to Muhammad Ali, people came by and put a hand on my shoulder and said, "It's okay, George. You'll have another chance." That was pity. From being feared to being pitied. Brother, that's a long fall. Show less «

I remember how people looked at me as I left the United States for Zaire. "Man, that's George Foreman, going to fight Muhammad Ali." Then th...Show more »

I remember how people looked at me as I left the United States for Zaire. "Man, that's George Foreman, going to fight Muhammad Ali." Then they'd drop their heads. Fear. Nobody would give me a straight-on look. It was a funny kind of admiration. There were people too scared to even ask for an autograph. Show less «

Sandy Saddler, the great featherweight champion, gave me some advice after I won the title. I said, "Man, this sex thing. How did you deal w...Show more »

Sandy Saddler, the great featherweight champion, gave me some advice after I won the title. I said, "Man, this sex thing. How did you deal with this sex thing? He said, "George, it's real easy when you're married and faithful to one woman. Because when you're in the mood, she's in the mood. It gets out of hand when you start messing with two or three people. It becomes unmanageable. Even you become unmanageable. Be faithful to one. I just didn't grasp it at the time. Show less «

Most of us are just kids.

You don't know what it is to be heavyweight champ of the world until you become the heavyweight champ of the world. It's tough. You hear, "S...Show more »

You don't know what it is to be heavyweight champ of the world until you become the heavyweight champ of the world. It's tough. You hear, "So-and-so became champ and he had five girls and five Cadillacs." So you get five Cadillacs and five girls just because so-and-so had it. It doesn't originate from you. It's not desire or physical urgency. It's all ignorance. Show less «

When I won the title against Joe Frazier, it was everything I ever worked for.

In the 1968 Olympics, Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised black-gloved fists on the victory stand, and that's all people were talking about....Show more »

In the 1968 Olympics, Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised black-gloved fists on the victory stand, and that's all people were talking about. My gold medal didn't have much luster when I went home to Houston, but it sure had luster to me. I wore that thing everywhere I went. Those were the days of Nehru jackets and medallions, so it just fit in. I wore it so much that after a while, some of the gold started to rub off. A jeweler made it look pretty again, and I didn't want any more gold to rub off, so I put it in a safe-deposit box. That's where it stayed for years. In the eighties, I moved to Marshall, Texas. I decided to put that medal in the historical society so the kids could see it and be inspired. The message was, you could come out of this small town and do big things. I want all the children in the world to feel like that medal is as much theirs as it is my children's. Show less «

Sometimes my older brothers and sisters would tease me, call me Mo-head. I didn't know why. Sometimes they'd say, "You're not really our bro...Show more »

Sometimes my older brothers and sisters would tease me, call me Mo-head. I didn't know why. Sometimes they'd say, "You're not really our brother." That would drive me crazy. Even before I outgrew them, they learned that the teasing wasn't worth the consequences. Show less «

When there was no lunch to take to school, I blew up a brown paper sack to make it look full.

We couldn't afford a TV. But my Aunt Leola let me watch hers. I'd watch The Donna Reed Show (1958) and Leave It to Beaver (1957) and wonder ...Show more »

We couldn't afford a TV. But my Aunt Leola let me watch hers. I'd watch The Donna Reed Show (1958) and Leave It to Beaver (1957) and wonder what it would be like to have my own bed. Shutting off a reading lamp next to your bed seemed like the height of luxury. Show less «

I grew up in the Fifth Ward of Houston -- the Bloody Fifth, we called it. Every weekend someone got killed.

I dread handshakes. I've got some problems with my hands, and everywhere I go, people want to impress me with their grip. To make it worse, ...Show more »

I dread handshakes. I've got some problems with my hands, and everywhere I go, people want to impress me with their grip. To make it worse, now women are coming up with that firm shake. So I'll say, "Gimme five!" If a boy wants a handshake, I'll just give him a hug. Show less «

[on his match with Ron Lyle in January 1976] It was definitely the toughest fight I've ever had.

Missing is part of winning.