Via Instagram, the George Foreman family announced that the boxing legend at the age of 76 was peacefully fell asleep in the narrow circle of the family. The former heavyweight world champion was one of the greatest of sport, was considered invincible for a long time – then he lost in the iconic “Rumble in the Jungle”.
When George Foreman dragged journalists and photographers on a sandbag in 1974 in front of a amazed crowd, the world feared around Muhammad Alis. With his massive hooks, the grim -looking American had hit a veritable dell in the huge “heavy bag” in just a few minutes. They asked what these fists would only do with the beautiful face Alis, for whom grandfathers sparked their grandchildren in Germany at the time to keep their fingers crossed “The Greatest”.
Now this George Foreman is dead. The boxing legend died on Friday at the age of 76 “peaceful with his loved ones”, as the family said. “Our hearts are broken. We thank you for overwhelming love and prayers and at the same time ask politely for privacy, while we honor the extraordinary life of a man that we were allowed to call one of us.” As a “philanthropist, Olympic participant and two -time world champion in heavyweight”, he was highly respected. His family described him as “a power of good” and “man with discipline and conviction”. Ex-world champion Mike Tyson also reported to condolize. Foreman’s “Contribution to boxing and beyond, will never be forgotten.”
The George Foreman of the 70s was still a power of evil, a fearsome figure in boxing ring. Growing up in Texas, he had thrown the school at 15 and got on the wrong track. Violence was part of his everyday life. When he became a prize boxer, the impression that Foreman was fun to inflict pain from his opponents.
Joe Frazier felt this in Jamaica in 1973. The 1.93-meter box hit the ground in two rounds six times. “Smokin Joe” looked like a steam locomotive without coals against the Foremans force. Foreman was now the “Baddest Man on the Planet” – The Bast Man of the Planet. A year later, the world champion powdered the Ali-Banger Ken Norton. This demonstration of power also only lasted two rounds. After all: Frazier and Norton suffered the grace of an early knockout. Ali, most experts were certain, threatened a much worse fate at the “Rumble of the Jungle”.
Boxing: Foreman loses against Ali in the “Rumble of the Jungle”
As is well known, foreman was beating on October 30, 1974 in Kinshasa on the Ali hanging in the ropes, as if it were actually a defenseless sandbag. But: this was part of Alis clever “Rope-A-Dope” strategy. The K.-O. Monster should be spending. “I fully caught him and he just whispered in my ear: ‘Is that all you have, George?’ Then I knew: I’m in real difficulties, “said Foreman years later when he and Ali had long since become friends.
He swung eight rounds in the humid Congo heat – until the mighty arms heavy and the air became thin. Then the “biggest” exploded and sent his compatriot with a combination of left hooks and rights on the boards. Foreman did not get on his feet in time. His World Cup title was gone, the nimbus of the invincible knockout machine as well. After humiliation in Africa, Foreman fell into a deep hole of depression and self -doubt. In 1976 he still delivered an epic five-round wedding with Ron Lyle, which he won. A year later, however, after an unexpected bankruptcy against Jimmy Young, he collapsed with a heat slaughter in the cabin.
Houston, we have a pastor
Foreman said that he was close to death, the collapse was a “divine awakening”. At the age of 27, “Big George” hung up the boxing gloves, studied the Bible and began working as a pastor of the “Church of the Lord Jesus Christ” in his homeland Houston. From the dark racket of once became a nice, laughing, everyone’s beloved shepherd.
The pulpit foremans and the word of the “Holy Scripture” was his gun for ten years. However, foreman gradually went out for himself and his herd. In order to fill up the cash registers, the reverend decided to go to a comeback as a fist fighter. He kept his first opponents without any problems, but hardly anyone took foreman. He was happy to show his cravings for Hamburgers, he looked too unsportsmanlike with his around 120 kilos on his ribs. Only when foreman in 1990 the former World Cup challenger Gerry Cooney drog with a hook like from the 70s Ko was the oldie back in business.
Donald Trump organized foreman fight against Holyfield
A fight against Mike Tyson burst because “Iron Mike” had to go into jail. For this, the then 42-year-old climbed into the ring in April 1991 in Atlantic City against world champion Evander Holyfield. The “Battle of the Ages” organized a certain Donald J. Trump. The generations duel came to a true ring battle. Foreman lost on points, but showed a performance against his 14 -year -old opponents that the experts had not believed.
The Box grandpa Holyfield shook through again and again like a vodka martini. Nobody had ever hit him as hard as Foreman, reported Holyfield years later: “George met me once, my feet were frozen. I went back into my corner and asked if he had fled all teeth. They said: ‘No, no, you are okay’, but I just don’t want me to give up. I just left the next round.”
Historical co-victory in Las Vegas
Although he didn’t really convince after the Atlantic City spectacle, Foreman received a title chance three years later. Against Michael Moorer – who had sensationally dethroned in Holyfield – hardly anyone gave a chanterelle on the “old”. Larry Merchant, boxing analyst of the broadcaster HBO, described Foreman’s chances as “a gazillion to one” (a fanta Ofsaarde for one).
Anyone who takes a look at Las Vegas’ struggle today (YouTube greets you) is still amazed: For nine rounds, the young legal interpreter dances around his elderly challenger, covered foreman almost at will with left straight and right -wing hooks. “Big George” stings the spanking stoically-until he moored moor ten a mighty right trowel throws on the chin that cuts his brain-leg connection. “It happened, it happened!” (It happened, it happened), HBO commentator Jim Lampey called the miracle ecstatic out all over the world. At the age of 45, Foreman crowned himself the oldest heavyweight world champion in history-20 years after his disgrace against Ali.
Point victories against Axel Schulz and Stefan Raabs Mett
For a few years the veteran stayed, sometimes better, sometimes worse. Against Germany’s boxing favorite Axel Schulz, Foreman defended the title in 1995 only by an extremely controversial point victory. Two years later, he finally climbed out of the ring after the judges had cheated him around the crown against a certain Shannon Brigg.
Outside the rope area, foreman was (still) better. The passionate steak and burger cleaner got into the barbecue business, piling up around $ 150 million with the sale of his “Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine”.
The entrepreneur was also on everyone’s lips in Germany. In order to praise the miracles of his product, he stuffed a decent lump of Kölsches Mett into the folding grill at butcher son Stefan Raab. The “TV-Total” viewers jaw when the fat dripped out of the hack.
Foreman can and was able to use the grill million well. The boxing legend has eleven children. His five sons all bear the same first name: George. “Big George”, however – there is only once.
This text appeared in a slightly modified form for the first time on January 10, 2019 on RTL.de