George Foreman, the two-time heavyweight champion of the world, was remembered in a heartwarming memorial service in his hometown of Houston on Monday.
- Family and friends gathered to share stories about the legendary boxer’s life, including his time in the ring and his later years as a pastor and businessman.
- They recalled Foreman’s love of God, his family, horses, and cheeseburgers, and his desire to help others.
- Many attendees highlighted the importance of faith in Foreman’s life and how it guided his efforts to assist others.
George Foreman IV, one of the boxer’s five sons, was among those who spoke at the memorial service. He shared a story about his father’s grandmother, who gave him a song that he has passed down to his own family. “He was going through a hard time,” Foreman IV said, “so now I’ve given it to you.”
The former boxer Michael Moorer, who Foreman defeated in 1994 to become the oldest man at age 45 to win the heavyweight championship, also spoke at the service. He praised Foreman’s faith and his ability to transform a shy country boy from Texas into a successful businessman and voice for the less fortunate. table width=”50%” border=”1″ cellpadding=”5″ cellspacing=”0″>
| Notable Achievements | Details |
| — | — |
| Heavyweight Champion of the World | 1973, defeating Joe Frazier |
| Two-time Heavyweight Champion of the World | 1994, defeating Michael Moorer |
| Ordained Minister | 1978, after a religious awakening |
| Founder of The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ | 1980, in Houston |
| George Foreman Grill | A simple cooking machine sold over 100 million units |
Foreman had 12 children, including five sons who are all famously named George Edward Foreman. His family has not disclosed his cause of death, only saying that he “peacefully departed” surrounded by loved ones.
Foreman was born in Marshall, Texas, and raised in Houston’s Fifth Ward, one of the city’s historically Black neighborhoods. He began his boxing career as an Olympic gold medalist in 1968, turning pro the next year.
He became the heavyweight champion of the world when he beat Joe Frazier in 1973, but lost the title the following year when Muhammad Ali beat Foreman in the famous “Rumble in the Jungle” fight in Zaire.
Foreman then gave up boxing and after a religious awakening, became an ordained minister in 1978. He began preaching in Houston, later founding The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in 1980.
He returned to the ring after a 10-year absence and in 1994 pulled off one of the most spectacular knockouts in boxing history, flooring Moorer with a surgical right hand to claim Moorer’s two heavyweight belts.
Foreman retired in 1997 with a 76-5 career record. He then moved on to the next chapter in his life as a businessman, pitchman and occasional actor.
“Of all the traits that I could mention, his faith, his family, his boxing career, his business career, the one that stands out to me as a friend of George Foreman, he never forgot where he came from,” said Houston Mayor John Whitmire.
“Winning and losing can never assure a lasting smile. But saying to the face you see daily, ‘I did my best,’ can,” said Foreman in a posthumous recording, as quoted by James Douglas, a longtime friend and former president of Texas Southern University in Houston.
“How well do I remember how Jesus brought me through? I prayed, I walked a night or two. I said, Lord, why don’t you take and use me? That’s all that I can do. I give my life to Jesus, what about you?’
That was a song my grandmother gave to my father. He was going through a hard time. So now I’ve given it to you.”
— George Foreman IV
Foreman’s legacy extends beyond his impressive boxing career and his business ventures. He will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, and love for his family, as well as his commitment to helping others.
