Boxing heavyweight great George Foreman, who fought Muhammad Ali in the ‘Rumble in the Jungle,' dead at 76

CNN

22-03-2025

George Foreman, the two-time world heavyweight boxing champion and Olympic gold medalist whose legendary rivalry with Muhammad Ali culminated in the famous 'Rumble in the Jungle' title bout, died Friday according to a verified social media account dedicated to Foreman. He was 76.
The Instgram post reads: 'Our hearts are broken. With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved George Edward Foreman Sr. who peacefully departed on March 21, 2025 surrounded by loved ones. A devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand and great grandfather, he lived a life marked by unwavering faith, humility, and purpose.
'A humanitarian, an Olympian, and two time heavyweight champion of the world, He was deeply respected — a force for good, a man of discipline, conviction, and a protector of his legacy, fighting tirelessly to preserve his good name— for his family.
'We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers, and kindly ask for privacy as we honor the extraordinary life of a man we were blessed to call our own.'
Known as one of the most powerful punchers in boxing history, Foreman won Olympic gold in only his 25th amateur fight devastated one of the all-time greats in Joe Frazier and went on to retain the heavyweight title twice before his now-iconic 1974 fight with Ali in Kinshasha, Zaire - now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Foreman's victory over Soviet fighter Jonas Čepulis at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico sparked the beginning of his professional career, but his celebration was also significant.
He took a small American flag and waved it to every corner of the stadium – a memorable moment, given that just ten days earlier his US teammates Tommie Smith and John Carlos gave the Black Power salute on the podium.
It was an action for which Foreman has no regrets, despite backlash when he returned to the US.
He told The Undefeated: 'When I walked into the Olympic Village, I saw a couple of athletes who looked like me. I went to speak to them, but they couldn't speak English. For the first time, I realized that the only thing that could identify us was our nation's colors.
'I waved the flag so they knew I was American. Everyone started applauding, so I waved it higher. That is the only reason I had that flag. If I had to do it all over again, I would have had two flags in my pocket.'
He continued: 'I proudly walked down Lyons Avenue in the Fifth Ward [in Houston] wearing my medal. A guy I thought was a friend walked up, looked me in the face and said, 'How could you do what you did when the brothers [Smith and Carlos] were doing their thing?' It … broke … my … heart. I didn't expect that.'
Foreman turned professional, and won his first 37 bouts before taking on world heavyweight champion Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica, in January 1973.
Despite being the clear underdog, Foreman knocked Frazier down six times in two rounds to claim the WBA and WBC heavyweight belts, and become heavyweight champion.
His two defenses of the title - first downing Puerto Rico's Jose Roman in 50 seconds and then beating American Ken Norton, who had just defeated Ali, in just two rounds – set up the 'Rumble in the Jungle' bout in Zaire in October 1974.
The event had huge cultural and political significance. The decision to hold the fight in Zaire was controversial, with criticism over human rights abuses and corruption under late President Mobutu Sese Seko. It was also seen as a platform for Black athletes to promote African unity.
The fight itself – which saw both contenders guaranteed $5 million each, a huge amount at the time in the sport - is seen as one of the greatest ever.
Using a tactic later known as 'rope-a-dope,' Ali was able to withstand Foreman's punches by leaning back on the ropes, before landing a series of blows in the eighth round in what turned out to be his only knockout defeat in a 28-year professional career.
'I thought this would be the easiest $5 million I was going to pick up,' Foreman told CNN following Ali's death in 2016.
'I hit him hard in the third round, and he looked at me as if to say, 'I'm not gonna take it!'
'He hit me with a quick one-two, knocked me down to the canvas and my whole life changed. I was devastated. Little did I know I would make the best friend I ever had in my life.'
This is a developing story and will be updated.