Heavyweight boxing legend dies aged 76, says household

Boxing heavyweight legend George Foreman has died aged 76, in response to his household.

Foreman, referred to as Massive George within the ring, competed for many years beginning within the Nineteen Sixties, successful gold on the Olympics and quite a few title belts, together with the world heavyweight title twice.

He misplaced his first title to Muhammad Ali of their well-known Rumble within the Jungle struggle in 1974. However his skilled boxing profession boasted 68 knock outs, virtually double that of Ali. He misplaced 5 bouts over his profession.

Foreman received his first world heavyweight championship in 1973 then did it once more in 1994 when he was 45. He retired from the game in 1997.

His household mentioned in a submit on Instagram on Friday night time: “Our hearts are damaged.

“A religious preacher, a faithful husband, a loving father, and a proud grand and nice grandfather, he lived a life marked by unwavering religion, humility, and objective.”

The assertion added: “A humanitarian, an Olympian, and two time heavyweight champion of the world, He was deeply revered – a pressure for good, a person of self-discipline, conviction, and a protector of his legacy, preventing tirelessly to protect his good identify – for his household,” the household mentioned, describing Foreman in a submit on Instagram.

Whereas he was a family identify in his athletic profession, Foreman additionally grew to become well-known for his iconic George Foreman Grill, which tens of millions have bought over the a long time because it hit the market in 1994.

Foreman has a dozen kids. 5 of his sons are named George.

He defined on his web site that he named them after him in order that they “they might at all times have one thing in frequent”.

“I say to them, ‘If one in all us goes up, then all of us go up collectively,” he defined. “And if one goes down, all of us go down collectively!'”