George Foreman was one of the most feared boxers of his generation. He retired with an astounding record of 76-5, with 68 of those victories coming via knockout, and he won the Heavyweight Championship title five times. On top of all that, Foreman also won the gold medal in boxing at the 1968 Olympics.
This guy was insane. But despite all the accolades, Foreman says that there is more to his life than what he accomplished in the ring, and he cites his faith as the most important element of his life.
After retiring from boxing after a near death experience in 1977, “The Heywood Giant” heard the Gospel for the first time and dedicated his life to Jesus.
“I was dead. There was nothing left of me,” Foreman said. “I stared at nothingness, no hope. I was pulled out of this dirty place, and given a second chance to live. That has kept me grounded.”
He went on to found “The Church of our Lord Jesus Christ” in 1980, but financial troubles forced him back into boxing.
In 1994, he challenged then-champion Michael Moore and defeated him in the 10th round at the age of 45, making him the oldest fighter to hold the heavyweight title.
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After retiring for good, Foreman went into business where he created the famous “Foreman Grill,” which helped his financial situation.
Looking back on his life, “Big George” firmly believes that God’s hand was evident at every turn, and he considers following God the thing he finds most important.
“It doesn’t matter what you achieve, what you accomplish in this life,” he said. “The most important thing is to keep your eye on the true prize, and that’s serving God. Find God, have faith in God. It doesn’t matter what happened, believe all things are possible. Don’t ever give up on possibility and your life can be turned and changed for the better.”
A movie detailing Foreman's life will be released at the end of the month. “Big George Foreman” will hit theaters on April 28. Here’s a trailer for the film:
