In his final months, George Foreman took a nostalgic trip down memory lane, reflecting on his legendary clash with Muhammad Ali.
The two-time heavyweight champion, who passed away at 76 on March 21, honored key milestones from his storied career, including the 50th anniversary of his iconic 1974 battle with Ali, which he celebrated in October 2024.
Foreman marked the anniversary of the iconic Rumble in the Jungle by sharing a celebratory Instagram post, featuring a photo of himself with a plate of cake as he reflected on the historic fight.
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“Can you believe 50 years ago, the ‘Rumble in the Jungle,’ fighting Muhammad Ali,” the Olympic gold medalist wrote. “Looking back at the best time of my life — celebrate with me with a slice of cake, as I relive the ‘Rope-a-Dope.’
The 1974 Rumble in the Jungle, once considered one of the most-watched live TV broadcasts, didn’t go as Foreman had hoped. At 25, he faced 32-year-old Ali in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) for the heavyweight title but suffered his first career defeat when Ali secured a knockout victory in the eighth round.
Ali employed his famous “rope-a-dope” strategy during the fight, wearing Foreman down before delivering the knockout blow.
Over the years, Foreman shared various reflections on the match, often expressing his regret that the two never had a rematch.
“For years afterward I would agonize, ‘How could this happen?’ ” he told Vogue Man Arabia in 2019. “That night I lost everything I ever was. It was the most devastating event in my life as an athlete. I was not even a man no more.”
In a separate conversation with CBS News, Foreman revealed that he “thought I would knock him out in one or two rounds.”
“But in the third round, I’d hit him and he fell on me and I thought, ‘That’s it.’ And he started screaming, ‘That’s all you got George, show me something,’” Foreman recalled of Ali. “And I knew then I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
In the years after their legendary fight, Foreman and Ali became friends. Foreman initially retired in 1977 but made a comeback a decade later, reclaiming the heavyweight title in 1994 before retiring for good in 1999. That same year, he famously launched the George Foreman Grill.
Recently, Foreman marked the 30-year anniversary of him becoming the oldest man to win the heavyweight crown.
“30 years ago today! I started my day believing, ‘All things are possible if we only believe,'” he wrote on Instagram. “The power of a prayer; great or small. ( Now a prayer over my Lunch) that I only have 1, helping. George Foreman,” he wrote, captioning an image from his November 5, 1994 bout with Michael Moorer.
On March 21 this year, his family announced his passing in a statement on his official Instagram account.
“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,” the note read.
Mike Tyson, Scottie Pippen, Robert Griffin III, Loni Love, Magic Johnson, and others honored Foreman by sharing messages and memories on social media.
