George Foreman, a heavyweight boxing legend who was also known for his signature home grill. He was 76.
His family announced his death in an Instagram post on Friday, March 21. “Our hearts are broken. 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.”
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The statement added, “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,”
A cause of death has not been announced.
A two-time world heavyweight champion, Foreman’s career started in the 1960s and also included a gold medal victory at the Olympics. Known as “Big George” Foreman, he stood at 6-foot-4 and weighed 260 pounds.
For a heavyweight fighter, he had a long career. He won his first heavyweight title in 1973, and more than 20 years later did it a second time at the age of 45 in 1994.
He also had some famous defeats, including his 1974 loss to Muhammad Ali in the high-profile match that was known as the Rumble in the Jungle. It was one of only five fights he lost over his career.
Despite that loss, his overall record remained impressive with 68 knockouts.
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Along with his boxing career, Foreman may even be better known to some for the incredibly successful George Foreman Grill, which sold in the millions since it was first introduced in 1994.
An interesting fact: Foreman has 12 children and named five of his sons George.
In a passage on his website, he explained he named his sons after him so “they would always have something in common. I say to them, ‘If one of us goes up, then we all go up together,” Foreman wrote. “And if one goes down, we all go down together!'”
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