Athletes - George Foreman

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	Athletes - George Foreman

George Edward Foreman (b. January 10, 1949 in Marshall, Texas) is a twice-World boxing Champion and is considered one of the greatest Heavyweights of all time. He is also a successful businessman and an ordained Christian minister. His nickname is Big George. He is the father of reality show star George Foreman III.

Background

Foreman was raised in Houston, Texas's Fifth Ward. According to an ESPN "SportsCentury" profile, George's massive size in relation to that of his brothers' lead to the revelation that he was illegitimate. His biological father took no part in his upbringing. He named each of his sons George, he said, because he wants them to know who their father is.

During his youth, he was often in trouble with the law. He admitted to mugging people by, literally, holding his victims upside-down by their feet. He joined the Job Corps and there discovered a talent for boxing. Foreman had a stellar amateur career, winning the heavyweight class gold medal at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games. When he held an American flag in his hand as he stood on the victor's stand, a few members of the black community chastised him for being an Uncle Tom.

Boxing career

Foreman turned professional in 1969 with a three round knockout of Donald Walheim in New York. He had a total of 13 fights that year, winning all, 11 by knockout. Among the fighters he defeated were Chuck Wepner, by knockout in three, and Cookie Wallace, who lasted only two.

In 1970, Foreman continued rolling on, winning all 12 bouts, 11 by knockout. Among the opponents he beat were Gregorio Peralta, who lasted the ten round distance with Foreman at the Madison Square Garden, George Chuvalo, beaten in three, Charlie Polite, who lasted four, and Boone Kirkman, knocked out in three.

In 1971, Foreman won seven more fights, including a rematch with Peralta, whom he defeated by knockout in the tenth and last round in Oakland, California and a win over Leroy Caldwell, who went in the second. After amassing a record of 32-0, Foreman was ranked as the number one challenger by the WBA and WBC.

In 1972, his string of wins continued, winning five bouts in a row, all within three rounds.

With that, Foreman was set to challenge for the world's Heavyweight championship, and so, in January 22, 1973, Foreman faced world Heavyweight champion Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica, knocking him out in the second round to become the world's champion. In what was HBO Boxing's first transmission ever, the call made by Howard Cosell, the broadcaster that night (Down goes Frazier!!, Down goes Frazier!!, Down goes Frazier!) became one of the most memorable sports calls of all time.

Foreman was sometimes characterized by the media as an aloof and anti-social champion. According to them, he always seemed to wear a sneer in his face during this time, and was at times not available to the press.

Nevertheless, Foreman went on to defend his title successfully twice during this reign, his first defense, in Tokyo against Puerto Rican Heavyweight champion Jose Roman lasted only 50 seconds, the fastest ever for a world Heavyweight championship bout. In his next defense, in 1974 in Caracas, Venezuela, he scored a second round knock out over Ken Norton, who had beaten Muhammad Ali the previous year.

Around this time, Foreman was widely considered to be the most physically empowered specimen and hardest hitter in the history of the sport (in fact, the only man to ever match his power after was Earnie Shavers, who nevertheless wasn't as physically strong as Foreman was). His technique wasn't anything special, he relied simply on his absolutely phenomenal strength to dispose of his opponents. At this point he was considered, pound for pound, the greatest heavyweight in the world.

His next defense, however, spelled doom: During the late summer of '74, he moved to Congo (then Zaire), where he would defend against Muhammad Ali, in what became known as The Rumble in the Jungle. During training there, he suffered a cut, having to suspend the fight for one more month. Ali dedicated this month to endear himself to the public of Zaire, and taunt Foreman at every possible stop, making Foreman very angry and frustrated. When they finally squared off, Foreman suffered his first defeat, being knocked out in the eighth round.

He spent 1975 inactive, but in 1976, he returned to boxing, in Las Vegas. He boxed Ron Lyle, in a fight hailed by Ring Magazine as The Fight Of The Year. In a brutal fourth round, Lyle knocked down Foreman, only to have Foreman get up from the canvas to knock down Lyle moments later. In the closing seconds of the round, Lyle knocked Foreman down again, with Foreman making it up before the ten count. With both men in a weakened state, but with one having to muster up the fortitude to put the other away, Foreman knocked out Lyle in the fifth round. Then, he knocked out Frazier in a rematch in five, Scott Ledoux in three, and Dino Dennis in four to finish the year.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for George Foreman ]

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Athletes - George Foreman

Background

Boxing career

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