Legends of Boxing: George Foreman

Whenever an athlete makes it to the top, there’s a chance they may fall from grace altogether. Sometimes, fighters like Buster Douglas collapse, returning to regular life. But for George Foreman (76-5), that wasn’t the case.

The former boxer is a successful entrepreneur, publishing his own line of grills. When a regular person isn’t cooking food on the legendary George Foreman grill, the former heavyweight has an illustrious career that he looks back on.

What made Foreman one of the greatest boxers of all time? How did he stand out in a sea of brutal heavyweights? Here’s a look at what made the native of Marshall, Texas, special.

George Foreman’s Accomplishments and Strengths

George Foreman is one of boxing’s most decorated fighters. “Big George” won a gold medal in the heavyweight division during the 1968 Summer Olympics. In 1973, he won the world heavyweight championship by shocking Joe Frazier via second-round knockout in 1973.

The Marshall native was also the oldest world heavyweight champion, winning the title at the ripe age of 46 years and 169 days. Foreman isn’t just well-known for his bruting strength; he’s also known for his longevity, with his career spanning three decades.

With his overwhelming power, Foreman became a boxing force. Aside from taking down Frazier, “Big George” also defeated Ken Norton. With a 40-0 start to his career, Foreman became one of boxing’s most-feared competitors.

George Foreman vs. Joe Frazier

George Foreman has also been known for big-time fights, particularly “The Rumble in the Jungle” against Muhammad Ali. However, there’s one particular rivalry that made the legendary boxer stand out. In fact, his rival has a contrasting style to Foreman’s pure strength.

Joe Frazier has gone toe-to-toe twice in his career with Foreman. The first fight was “The Sunshine Showdown” in Jamaica on January 22, 1973. This was where the famous Howard Cosell call went down, with Foreman knocking out Frazier in stunning fashion.