George Foreman's Boxing in Eternity

When speaking of George Foreman, the first name that comes to mind is Muhammad Ali. These two heavyweight boxing legends were once involved in one of the most thrilling fights in history. Ali returned as a hero, while Foreman became a fallen figure.

The duel titled "Rumble in the Jungle" in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, in 1974, always tells the story of Ali's greatness. Ali was cornered for seven rounds, then managed to knock down Foreman in the 8th round. Ali's boxing technique, strategy, and maturity are praised to this day.

The reason the duel is still being discussed after five decades is the element of surprise. The match was akin to the story of David versus Goliath. Foreman, who arrived with WBA and WBC titles and an undefeated record (40-0), was highly superior. Ali, a former world champion, played the role of David, the underdog.

Foreman told the behind-the-scenes story in an interview with the BBC in October 2024. According to him, all boxing pundits favored him to win. "In fact, they said he (Ali) wouldn't last a round," he said during the 50th anniversary of the fight against Ali.

The status of being a favorite made Foreman overly confident. In the documentary series "Big George Foreman," he is also portrayed as highly emotional due to being provoked by Ali's psychological warfare. Foreman arrived like a hungry lion, full of a murderous drive and unable to think clearly.

History only records the winners. However, there would be no greatness of Ali without Foreman. Imagine, to win, Ali had to use the “rope-a-dope” strategy or lean on the ropes throughout the duel. Ali waited for his opponent to run out of energy. That was the only way to win.

Ali realized that it was impossible to engage in a "trading punches" strategy in the middle of the ring against Foreman. That would be tantamount to a guaranteed defeat. Especially in the early rounds, when Foreman's energy tank was still full. At that time, Foreman was only 25 years old, while Ali was already 32 years old.

A rematch was always discussed, but it never happened until both fighters were gone. “I almost hated him. I wanted revenge. (After that), he became the best and longest friend I ever had. I love him to this day,” Foreman told USA Today in 2023.

Foreman's career journey proves that negative things can turn into positives depending on intention and context. Fire can burn something, but it can also be useful for cooking. This is what he learned during his teenage years. He brought his temperamental demeanor from the streets to the boxing ring.

“Big George,” as he was known, was born in Marshall, Texas, United States, in 1949. Raised in a financially disadvantaged family by a single mother, he fell into juvenile delinquency. Foreman was kicked out of school at the age of 15 and began to rob people on the streets.

His fate changed when he joined Job Corps, a government program to hone the skills of disadvantaged youth. Foreman met his first coach, a boxing instructor there, Doc Broadus. The emotions that were usually poured out on the street, began to be channeled into the ring.

After an amateur boxing career, he went on to win gold for the U.S. at the 1968 Mexico Olympics. “Two years before I got my medal and heard the national anthem, I was under a house hiding from the police. I told myself at that time, I’m going to do something with my life because I’m not a thief,” Foreman said.

The orthodox boxer's professional career began a year after the Olympics. Big George's journey was smooth with deadly punches from both his left and right hands. His punches felt like a numbing injection for every opponent.

Foreman was a perfect 37-0 when he entered his first heavyweight title fight against Joe Fraizer in 1973. Foreman needed just two rounds to win. He dropped Fraizer six times before winning by technical knock-out (TKO).

For the record, Fraizer was one of five boxers to ever defeat Ali. He was also the one who tarnished Ali's perfect winning record. Fraizer had a rematch with Foreman three years after their first meeting and again lost by TKO in the fifth round.

Foreman's life path is unpredictable. When he was still in his golden age, 28 years old, he decided to retire. The decision was made after losing to Jimmy Young in 1977. It was Foreman's first defeat after the duel against Ali. The retirement announcement shocked the boxing world.

“That night, in the locker room after the loss, I was exhausted and hot. I felt like I couldn’t fight anymore to keep living. Then I heard a voice, ‘Do you believe in God? Why are you ready to die?’ I felt like I was talking to God,” he said, as quoted by the New York Times.

Foreman said he didn't really believe in religion. However, the incident in the locker room changed everything. Since then, he devoted his life to being a pastor for the next decade. Until finally the legend decided to come out of retirement in 1987.

Many doubted the decision. Foreman was 38 when he attempted to return to the ring and had not boxed for a decade. He was returning not for himself, but for the sake of George Foreman's youth center, which was in danger of closing due to financial crisis.

The second adventure ended sweetly. Foreman regained the WBA and IBF heavyweight world titles after a KO victory over Michael Moorer in 1994. A year later, he defended the title in a duel against Alex Schulz at the age of 46 years and 102 days. That result made him the oldest world heavyweight champion to date.

Foreman ended his illustrious career in 1997, at nearly 49 years old. He had an impressive record of 76-5 with 68 knockouts. The Ring, a leading boxing publication, has no doubts about naming him as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time.

Foreman died on Friday (3/21/2025) at the age of 76. The legend's physical form is gone, but the memory of his greatness will always be eternal. From his fists, there is a message that "hits" so deeply. As long as you have good intentions and faith, a dead end can open itself. (AP)