George Foreman

American boxer, an Olympic Heavyweight Champion in 1968 and World Heavyweight Champ 1973-1974.

He was a ghetto kid, very close to his mom, and his world fell apart at 14 when she had a nervous breakdown.

He began hanging out in the streets being bad and getting into fights. When he got into the Job Corps, he

learned how to box. His strength was awesome, and his first official bout on 26 January 1967 was a knockout

win.

Foreman qualified for the Olympic team and took the Heavyweight Gold in Mexico City, 1968, by defeating

Ionas Cepulis of Russia. Turning pro in 1969, he became world Boxing Champion by defeating Joe Frazier in

1973. On 30 October 1974, he lost to Muhammad Ali. After a ten year hiatus, Foreman returned to boxing in

1987. He became the oldest heavyweight boxing champion on 5 November 1994 by knocking out defending

champion Michael Moorer, 26, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the late 90's Foreman was

inventor, spokesperson and TV marketer for his steak-hamburger in-door grill that supposedly cooked with

less fat due to his own design. He is also a health advisory columnist for the weekly Sunday supplement of

USA.

Foreman had an intense religious experience after losing the fight with Jimmy Young in Jan Juan, Puerto Rico

on 17 March 1977. In the dressing room, he felt the blood running down his cheek and felt that it came from a

crown of thorns, saying to his manager, "I see God."

He was married 1971-1974 and had one daughter. His tastes are simple and he is still close to his mom.

Foreman feels that he had an epiphany experience, that he died and was reborn. He opened his own church

in 1981 and began preaching the gospel.