It was 76 years ago today, when “Big George” Foreman was born, this in Marshall, Texas. And as everyone knows, George would eventually enjoy multiple incarnations, with him having numerous careers.
And, in large part thanks to the Jobs Corps programme to help underprivileged youth that was set up by President Lyndon Johnson, a teenage, tearaway Foreman was given his first big chance.
Hungry, in every sense of the word, Foreman wandered into the boxing gym primarily in an effort to lose some weight, and he was soon spotted by trainer Doc Broadus. The rest is history.
Making rapid progress, Foreman, who first laced up the gloves in 1967, won Olympic gold in Mexico in 1968, this after having compiled a mere 16-4 amateur record. Foreman smashed accomplished Russian Jonas Cepulis in the final at the ’68 Games, his gold medal proudly worn around his neck upon returning home. And Foreman had made big headlines by waving a tiny American flag after his Olympic coronation, this after fellow US athletes John Carlos and Tommie Smith had each pumped a gloved fist into the air whilst standing on the Olympic podium, this in a Black Power salute.
Foreman was soon on his way at pro level , and after some slow progress and some pretty safe match making, Foreman was challenging for the world heavyweight title. The sight, and the sound, of Foreman brutalizing Joe Frazier inside two rounds in January of 1973 has long since been emblazoned in the minds of fight fans. Foreman, a genuine Texan monster, looked set for a heck of a long reign as king. But, like his hero and mentor Sonny Liston, Foreman was to fall victim to the incomparable Muhammad Ali. Foreman was left mentally crushed after the African epic of 1974, but in reality, he was only getting going as a fighter.
Who can forget the slugfest to end all heavyweight slugfests, between Foreman and Ron Lyle? And then the stunner that saw Jimmy Young beat Foreman and send him, with the aid of God, into a ten-year retirement?
And what about the logic-defying comeback an old, fat, money-hungry Foreman embarked on in 1987, this some twenty years after he had first donned the gloves! Foreman, needing funds to save his Youth and Community Centre, stripped it back to basics and, after adding Charlie Shipes and Archie Moore to his comeback team, he started from the bottom up.
And it worked, to the extent that Foreman made $millions, became a genuine hero the way his former conqueror Ali had been (and always will be), and managed to win back the heavyweight crown. Foreman’s comeback has been called the greatest in sport’s history, and with good reason. Foreman, came full circle with his KO win over Michael Moorer, this twenty years after his fall in Zaire, Africa.
Foreman was the king of kings, and he was on the cover of every magazine that was out there at the time.
Foreman, with a grill deal seeing him net many, many more $millions, was set for life. For his new life. Today, at age 76, George is nothing short of a global treasure.
