Legendary boxer George Foreman died at age 76 on March 21, his family announced in a post to his Instagram. According to the post, the former world heavyweight champion passed away “peacefully” while “surrounded by loved ones.” At the time of writing, no additional information is available regarding Foreman’s specific cause of death.
“Our hearts are broken,” the statement from Foreman’s family reads. The heartfelt Instagram caption goes on to remember him a “devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand and great grandfather” who “lived a life marked by unwavering faith, humility, and purpose.” Foreman is survived by Mary Joan Martelly, his wife of 40 years, and 11 of his 12 children. These include his five sons, all of whom the athlete named after himself. Foreman is preceded in death by his daughter Freeda Foreman, whom he shared with ex-wife Andrea Skeete. Freeda passed away in 2019 at the age of 42.
Early in his career, George Foreman made an immediate impact on the boxing world when he took home a gold medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico, defeating Jonas Čepulis of the Soviet Union by TKO in the second round of the tournament final. Then, in 1973, Foreman broke “Smokin'” Joe Frazier’s undefeated streak with a decisive second-round knockout to claim the world heavyweight championship. Foreman retired from boxing in 1977, though made a comeback a decade later. He went on to defeat the much younger Michael Moorer to win his second world heavyweight title at age 45. Foreman retired for a second time in 1997 at age 48.
George Foreman’s legacy beyond the boxing ring
For all his accomplishments in the ring, George Foreman also made quite the name for himself outside of it. Many are sure to recognize him as the face of the George Foreman Grill, which was introduced in 1994 and his since sold over 100 million units worldwide. Not only that, but Foreman even branched out into scripted television. In the 1970s, he made guest appearances on both the sci-fi classic “The Six Million Dollar Man” and the beloved sitcom “Sanford and Son.” In 1992, he did the same in an episode of “Home Improvement.” Then, in 2003, he lent his voice to the adult animated series “King of the Hill,” guest-starring in a memorable episode alongside daughter Freeda.
Foreman even briefly got the chance to star in his very own sitcom. 1993 saw the premiere of the ABC sitcom “George,” which fittingly starred the boxing legend as a retired fighter who finds a new calling in helping troubled kids. The show was fairly short-lived, and ended its run in early 1994. Even so, Foreman continued to maintain a presence in the world of pop culture through the 2020s, appearing on reality shows like “Fast N’ Loud” and “The Masked Singer.” He also served as an executive producer on the 2023 film “Big George Foreman,” a biopic.
The boxer also faced controversy, and in 2022, was accused of sexual abuse dating back to the 70s.
