Happy birthday to George Foreman

With a somewhat amateur background, former world heavyweight champion Big George Foreman won a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.

He defeated Jonah Chepulis of the Soviet Union, stopping him in two rounds and walking around the ring with American flags in hand.

Foreman turned professional in June 1969. He won his 28th straight fight, over South American champion Gregorio Peralta, 74-5-8, at Madison Square Garden.

In August 1970, iron-chin Canadian George Chuvalo, 59-15-2, stopped at the garden. Chuvalo had only been stopped by ‘Smokin’ Joe Frazier before, and that was the only stop in his career.

In the year In January 1973, Foreman won the world heavyweight title, defeating Frazier 29-0 in Kingston, Jamaica, over two rounds.

In September 1974, he stopped Ken Norton, 30-2, in Caracas, Venezuela. In October, he lost to former champion Muhammad Ali by a score of 44-2 in Zaire, Africa.

Foreman in 2010 In January 1976, he returned in one of the greatest heavyweight fights ever, stopping Ron Lyle, 31-3-1, for the NABF title in what Ring magazine called “Fight of the Year.” In his June rematch with Frazier, he stopped him in 5 rounds at the Nassau Coliseum, New York.

After four wins, Foreman was upset by Philly Jimmy Young, 20-5-2, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. His whole life changes when he sees a vision of Jesus while in his dressing room, which eventually leads him to become a preacher.

In the year In April 1991, Foreman went on a 26-fight winning streak before losing the championship to Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield 25-0 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

He then won three in a row before losing to Tommy ‘The Duke’ Morrison 35-1 in Las Vegas. In his next fight in Las Vegas, he won the world title again with a 35-0 victory over then-champion Michael ‘Double M’ Moorer in ten rounds. At the age of 45, he became the oldest boxer to win the title.

Foreman won a controversial 21-1-1 majority decision over Germany’s Axel Schulz in Las Vegas in April 1995. Two fights and two years later, he beat Lou Savarese 35-0 in Atlantic City. Schulz refused to grant a rematch, winning the WBU title and being stripped of the title.

Subsequently, in He retired from boxing in November 1997, losing what would be his final fight to Shannon ‘The Cannon’ Briggs, 29-1, in a controversial majority decision in Atlantic City.

His final record was 76-5 with 68 innings.

Foreman makes millions in advertising for “Foreman’s Grill.”