Mike Tyson, Charles Barkley, and More Sports Stars Pay Tribute to Boxing Legend and Grill Master George Foreman, Who Has Died Aged 76

Boxing fable George Foreman, considered 1 of the top heavyweights of each clip and a popular civilization icon, has died aged 76.

Foreman became a household sanction for his exploits successful the ring, wherever helium won Olympic golden successful 1968 aged 19, and the satellite rubric twice, the past of which came successful 1994 aged 45. Foreman’s iconic fights see Rumble successful the Jungle against Muhammad Ali successful 1974. He ended his boxing vocation with an unthinkable 76 wins and 68 knockouts, losing conscionable 5 bouts.

After retiring from boxing successful 1997, Foreman went connected to go a popular civilization and TV fable with his grills. A regular look connected tv ads, Foreman made millions from his ‘George Foreman Grill’ scope and tagline "Lean Mean Grilling Machine.”

George Foreman's post-boxing vocation made him millions. Photo by Johnny Green - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images.

In a station connected Instagram, his household paid tribute: "Our hearts are broken. With profound sorrow, we denote the passing of our beloved George Edward Foreman Sr. who peacefully departed connected March 21, 2025 surrounded by loved ones. A devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a arrogant expansive and large grandfather, helium lived a beingness marked by unwavering faith, humility, and purpose.

"A humanitarian, an Olympian, and 2 clip heavyweight champion of the world, He was profoundly respected — a unit for good, a antheral of discipline, conviction, and a protector of his legacy, warring tirelessly to sphere his bully sanction — for his family.

"We are grateful for the outpouring of emotion and prayers, and kindly inquire for privateness arsenic we grant the bonzer beingness of a antheral we were blessed to telephone our own."

Former satellite heavyweight champion Mike Tyson said Foreman's "contribution to boxing and beyond volition ne'er beryllium forgotten."

Condolences to George Foreman’s family. His publication to boxing and beyond volition ne'er beryllium forgotten. pic.twitter.com/Xs5QjMukqr

— Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) March 22, 2025

NBA prima Charles Barkley told CBS Sports Foreman's decease "hurts a lot." "He was evidently 1 of the top boxers ever, but conscionable a gentle man, helium was a pastor — and it conscionable hurts man, plain and simple", helium said. "My condolences to his family. I’m shook up close now, that caught maine truthful disconnected guard."

Charles Barkley reflects connected his narration with the precocious George Foreman pic.twitter.com/Bm7HeaRLld

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 22, 2025

Magic Johnson said of Foreman: "I attended truthful galore of George’s title fights implicit his career. He was a knockout creator successful the ring, and it was a pleasance getting to cognize him not lone arsenic a boxer but arsenic a man. After leaving the ring, helium turned into an astonishing businessman — I adjacent bought 1 of the archetypal George Foreman grills! Cookie and I volition beryllium praying for his household during this time.”

Sad quality for maine and the boxing world... The past boxing pillar for an unforgettable epoch has passed distant today... May his psyche remainder successful peace, Big George Foreman! 💔🥊 pic.twitter.com/cufeiEVyom

— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) March 22, 2025

Foreman joined 5 times and has a twelve children, including 5 sons who are each named George.

"I named each my sons George Edward Foreman truthful they would ever person thing successful common," Foreman wrote connected his website. "I accidental to them, 'If 1 of america goes up, past we each spell up together. And if 1 goes down, we each spell down together!' "

He besides famously said: "I archer people, 'If you're going to get deed arsenic galore times arsenic I've been deed by Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, Evander Holyfield, you're not going to retrieve galore names.' "

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].