What can possibly be said about heavyweight legend George Foreman that hasn’t already been said? One thing: happy 75th birthday! It was indeed 75 years ago today, when “Big George” was born in Marshall, Texas, his a tough, hungry, later crime-filled early life.
Today marks the 29th anniversary of George Foreman’s incredible KO win over Michael Moorer, the 10th round knockout scored by “Big George” seeing him become, at age 45, the oldest heavyweight king ever.
Arguably the greatest living heavyweight, former two-time heavyweight king George Foreman is already in the International Boxing Hall of Fame – and ever so rightly so.
You guys have most likely seen by now the George Foreman movie: “Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story Of The Once And Future Heavyweight Champion Of The World.”
George Foreman made an all-mighty splash in January of 1973, this when the unbeaten but some said ordinary and basic Texan slugger ruined Joe Frazier inside just a couple of rounds to take (see rip) the world heavyweight title.
His August, 1969 fight with an 18-5-2 Chuck Wepner aside, the biggest test by far a young George Foreman took came in August of 1970, this when the 21 year old who had captured Olympic gold in Mexico in 1968 was matched with the tougher than tough George Chuvalo.
In so many ways, as he himself is always proud to point out, George Foreman is THE American success story. Born poor, seemingly with no way out, the the young Foreman, who was blessed with enviable physical assets such as immense strength, size, athleticism and raw power but had not yet found out what to do with these gifts, was at this time reduced to robbing and stealing to make it.
It’s odd sometimes, how a certain date can produce some big boxing upsets. Case in point, April 22. It was on this day, in different years, indeed one of these fights taking place in a different decade, when three shockers took place in fights that contested the world heavyweight title.
On this day back in 1991, a fight that fit in real well with all the other classic heavyweight battles we fans were treated to during that decade took place, as Evander Holyfield and George Foreman met in Atlantic City.
It’s not the 50th anniversary of a memorable fight, but it’s pretty darn close at 49 years. It was on this day in March of 1974 when a peaking George Foreman made the second defense of the world heavyweight title; this seemingly “Big George’s” personal, you-dare-take-it-from him-at-your-own-risk property at the time.