George Foreman dead at 76

[MoontoScott]

There probably aren't too many boxing fans on this site who remember George Foreman in his apex years but what a story he was.

That match between he and Ali in 1974 (the Rumble in the Jungle) was as good as it gets in terms of excitement that resonated around the World.

Even more amazing was his post-boxing career selling BBQs-- an unlikely occupation for one of the hardest punchers his sport ever knew.

The Golden age of Foreman, Ali, Frazier, Liston, Holmes, Norton, Chuvalo, Young etc. etc. was great entertainment--even if you didn't like the violence of the sport.

 

[Mr Kot]

Heard it yesterday. My grandfather was a huge boxing fan and would have been devastated if he was still around. Sadly, I only got to see him for the BBQ stuff, but luckily you can (usually) find old fights online.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I got to see him when he returned to the ring and watched most of his old fights. Guy hit like a truck. He was a great man.

 

[MoontoScott]

Heard it yesterday. My grandfather was a huge boxing fan and would have been devastated if he was still around. Sadly, I only got to see him for the BBQ stuff, but luckily you can (usually) find old fights online.

The Rumble in the Jungle is readily available on YouTube.

Even the warm-up minutes proceeding the fight are worth watching.

The rope-a-dope tactic from Ali is famous but what is rarely talked about are the lightning fast combinations that Ali landed on Foreman in the 1st 7 rounds. The body shots absorbed by Ali from Foreman were also something to watch. How anyone could absorb those hits is beyond me.

 

[Drivesaitl]

There probably aren't too many boxing fans on this site who remember George Foreman in his apex years but what a story he was.

That match between he and Ali in 1974 (the Rumble in the Jungle) was as good as it gets in terms of excitement that resonated around the World.

Even more amazing was his post-boxing career selling BBQs-- an unlikely occupation for one of the hardest punchers his sport ever knew.

The Golden age of Foreman, Ali, Frazier, Liston, Holmes, Norton, Chuvalo, Young etc. etc. was great entertainment--even if you didn't like the violence of the sport.

Oh yeah. I loved Joe Frazier, he was the working class boxer and guy not as gifted with stature but would do anything to win and get inside like it was a fight to the death. Work rate wise he was a hero to me and then he met the unstoppable force that was George Foreman. Never forget that fight. Foreman knocked the champ to the canvas what was it 6X? Something Ali couldn't do. My world was shattered a bit but then Foreman became my man. Everybody talking about big George. Quite a character.

RIP George. You earned it and a few of your contemporaries could have been a lot nicer to you. You were nice enough to all of them. Big fists, big heart. Unforgettable.

 

[Fourier]

Foreman, Ali, Fraser. Three guys who made boxing absolutely thrilling to watch.

 

[Drivesaitl]

The Rumble in the Jungle is readily available on YouTube.

Even the warm-up minutes proceeding the fight are worth watching.

The rope-a-dope tactic from Ali is famous but what is rarely talked about are the lightning fast combinations that Ali landed on Foreman in the 1st 7 rounds. The body shots absorbed by Ali from Foreman were also something to watch. How anyone could absorb those hits is beyond me.

Foreman absorbed it. Frazier and others did too. I don't know for sure it was that. Ali had acclimated in the heat and humidity longer and was used to the conditions getting into the ring. I think it taxed Foreman more and who also wasn't able to train as much because he had fight pre injuries. On a different day and different circumstance I think the fight turns out much differently. George didn't have the steam in that fight, and I don't know that it was Ali himself that took it all out of him.

Its odd to consider that Foreman destroyed Frazier, took all he had and whipped him. A guy that gave Ali as much as he could handle anytime. Ali had trouble with Frazier shots. He didn't even get to feel the full wrath of Foreman on that day. jmo

 

[MoontoScott]

Foreman, Ali, Fraser. Three guys who made boxing absolutely thrilling to watch.

After the "Rumble in the Jungle" and the "Thrilla in Manilla" fights the excitement really seemed to wane.

The public lost some interest. I don't even know who the heavyweight champ is these days.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Foreman, Ali, Fraser. Three guys who made boxing absolutely thrilling to watch.

WE were so spoiled back then. Seemingly the best in all entertainment. Best music, best boxing, great hockey, Being able to grow up and live the life of the 60's, 70's where kids would just go out and play all day.

Canada Russia series, Moon landings, Centennial year. Commonwealth Games, Advent of WHA and pro hockey again in Edmonton. One amazing time after another back then.

 

[Fourier]

Foreman absorbed it. Frazier and others did too. I don't know for sure it was that. Ali had acclimated in the heat and humidity longer and was used to the conditions getting into the ring. I think it taxed Foreman more and who also wasn't able to train as much because he had fight pre injuries. On a different day and different circumstance I think the fight turns out much differently. George didn't have the steam in that fight, and I don't know that it was Ali himself that took it all out of him.

Its odd to consider that Foreman destroyed Frazier, took all he had and whipped him. A guy that gave Ali as much as he could handle anytime. Ali had trouble with Frazier shots. He didn't even get to feel the full wrath of Foreman on that day. jmo

Frazier and Foreman had very different styles. Frazier was a bull who just kept coming at you. He was also rather short compared to Foreman or Ali. Foreman was a puncher and was quite tall, as was Ali. I think Foreman was a better fit for Ali.

 

[Fourier]

After the "Rumble in the Jungle" and the "Thrilla in Manilla" fights the excitement really seemed to wane.

The public lost some interest. I don't even know who the heavyweight champ is these days.

I remember listening to Ali fights on the radio. They were still exciting.

Boxing had a few other guys who could capture some of the spotlight. But frankly, aside from some Olympic stuff I don't know the last tome I watched a boxing match. It has to have been 15 years or more.

 

[bobbythebrain]

RIP big man. May everyone in heaven buy a grill

 

[JustNapamIt]

The amazing thing (or at least one of them) was that Foreman started off a such an owly prick. He then transformed himself to be really amiable.
What an age for boxing. And not just the heavyweights

 

[Drivesaitl]

Frazier and Foreman had very different styles. Frazier was a bull who just kept coming at you. He was also rather short compared to Foreman or Ali. Foreman was a puncher and was quite tall, as was Ali. I think Foreman was a better fit for Ali.

Yeah, its always interesting how the matchups play out. Frazier was also a volume puncher whereby Foreman was a load up guy, or at least was picking his spots against Ali. I think the thing is for some reason Frazier couldn't hurt Foreman, he tried, and Foreman sensed this and could just go for it. Don't know Foreman ever had that confidence against Ali. This was the mind games Ali would play with opponents "you're nothing", "you're a bum" "here comes the mummy". As mad as Foreman got it was textbook getting into somebodies head. Tyson would say you often won the fight before you even got in the ring. The intimidation and psychological games in boxing start weeks before the fight. A unique aspect in sporting world.

 

[Fourier]

WE were so spoiled back then. Seemingly the best in all entertainment. Best music, best boxing, great hockey, Being able to grow up and live the life of the 60's, 70's where kids would just go out and play all day.

Canada Russia series, Moon landings, Centennial year. Commonwealth Games, Advent of WHA and pro hockey again in Edmonton. One amazing time after another back then.

You can add in the Eskimos as well. Though in the 60's and early 70's things were pretty barren on that front. Hell, even the Trappers and Drillers were entertaining. Soccer Canada also pretty much had Edmonton as one of its home bases. How many chances do you get to see a guy like Pele? I was 16 at the time and while not much of a big soccer fan that was an experience.

 

[Fourier]

Yeah, its always interesting how the matchups play out. Frazier was also a volume puncher whereby Foreman was a load up guy, or at least was picking his spots against Ali. I think the thing is for some reason Frazier couldn't hurt Foreman, he tried, and Foreman sensed this and could just go for it. Don't know Foreman ever had that confidence against Ali. This was the mind games Ali would play with opponents "you're nothing", "you're a bum" "here comes the mummy". As mad as Foreman got it was textbook getting into somebodies head. Tyson would say you often won the fight before you even got in the ring. The intimidation and psychological games in boxing start weeks before the fight. A unique aspect in sporting world.

Tyson vs a prime Frasier would have been a war.

 

[Stoneman89]

There probably aren't too many boxing fans on this site who remember George Foreman in his apex years but what a story he was.

That match between he and Ali in 1974 (the Rumble in the Jungle) was as good as it gets in terms of excitement that resonated around the World.

Even more amazing was his post-boxing career selling BBQs-- an unlikely occupation for one of the hardest punchers his sport ever knew.

The Golden age of Foreman, Ali, Frazier, Liston, Holmes, Norton, Chuvalo, Young etc. etc. was great entertainment--even if you didn't like the violence of the sport.

I can still remember his boxing days. The golden era of the heavyweights. Of course, the young-uns on here probably only know him as that big fat guy hawking an electric cooking griddle.

 

[MoontoScott]

The amazing thing (or at least one of them) was that Foreman started off a such an owly prick. He then transformed himself to be really amiable.
What an age for boxing. And not just the heavyweights

Apparently Foreman wanted to emulate the style of Sonny Liston-- the mean old bear that had the title taken away by Ali (another classic work watching--from 1964). George then decided to change his style especially after the Ali fight. He was astute enough to realize that the style wasn't well liked by the public. The rest is history--300M in assets by the time he passed away yesterday.

 

[Drivesaitl]

You can add in the Eskimos as well. Though in the 60's and early 70's things were pretty barren on that front. Hell, even the Trappers and Drillers were entertaining. Soccer Canada also pretty much had Edmonton as one of its home bases. How many chances do you get to see a guy like Pele? I was 16 at the time and while not much of a big soccer fan that was an experience.

Yep, all that. We'll have to get this convo going another time. I was a huge Drillers fan as well as Eskimos fan. Also Soccer Canada fan. I was watching the mens team play games here and on TV since the 70's Remember the first time I saw Canada play Mexico at Azteca stadium and over 100K people there. Wished I was there for it. It felt like the home of Concacaf. The mecca. Got chills Canada even being in there.

But back to Big George. We all loved ya George. I hope you knew that.

 

[timekeep]

Foreman, first think of the late night infomercials for his grills and then his creativity in sons names. And then his comebacks fights and winning in his mid 40s.

 

[abootzky]

The passage of time has caused many people to forget that Howard Cosell's infamous "DOWN GOES FRAZIER! DOWN GOES FRAZIER!" call came at the hands of George Foreman, not Muhammad Ali. As a huge Joe Frazier fan, I will definitely never forget it. As for Foreman, his positive reinvention years after losing to Ali in The Rumble in the Jungle was a joy to behold, especially for us '70's boxing fans. I don't think anyone could have guessed that the big heavyweight wrecking machine of my teenage years would go on to influence how I cook meat to this very day.

Thanks for the grills and the thrills, Champ. Rest in peace.

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

Every time I invented something I would say “George, where can I get a patent on this idea?”

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

There probably aren't too many boxing fans on this site who remember George Foreman in his apex years but what a story he was.

That match between he and Ali in 1974 (the Rumble in the Jungle) was as good as it gets in terms of excitement that resonated around the World.

Even more amazing was his post-boxing career selling BBQs-- an unlikely occupation for one of the hardest punchers his sport ever knew.

The Golden age of Foreman, Ali, Frazier, Liston, Holmes, Norton, Chuvalo, Young etc. etc. was great entertainment--even if you didn't like the violence of the sport.

Thanks for posting. That heavyweight era was the apex of boxing imo. Appointment viewing with the world watching and listening for the outcomes. It was also a pretty incredible time broadly for cultural change. Sharing this link for anyone interested in a podcast:

I was a massive Ali fan for his athletic abilities and electric personality. But I really enjoyed Foreman for his slugging ability but moreso his evolution over time into the middle age heavyweight, fun personality, and entrepreneur. Lots of layers to the person we became acquainted with after his peak performance boxing years. RIP George Foreman, a full and diverse life lived.