ESPN - “Big” George Foreman, one of the most influential and recognizable boxers of all time, died Friday, his family announced on his social media account. He was 76.

Foreman, who won an Olympic gold medal in 1968, was a two-time heavyweight champion and Hall of Fame boxer.

He is perhaps best known for the historic Rumble in the Jungle bout with Muhammad Ali in 1974 in Zaire, a fight Foreman lost in an upset via eighthround

knockout. It’s arguably the most famous fight of all time, and the “When We Were Kings” film that chronicled the fight won an Oscar for best documentary feature.

Foreman made history yet again later in his career. He fought five more times after he lost the heavyweight championship to Ali at age 25, including a fifthround TKO victory over Joe Frazier (whom he stopped in two rounds to first win the title) and a fifth-round knockout of Ron Lyle in a classic slugfest.

After that fifth fight at 28, Foreman shockingly announced his retirement and began a career as an ordained minister in his native Texas.

Foreman was retired for 10 years. He returned to boxing in 1987 at age 38 and mounted arguably the most impressive sports comeback ever.

At first, Foreman padded his record with easy wins. One of them was a second- round knockout of Gerry Cooney. But in 1991, Foreman proved this comeback was for real when he pushed the great Evander Holyfield to the brink in a classic heavyweight title fight at age 42. Though he was unsuccessful in his bid to become a two-time heavyweight champion, Foreman was undeterred.

Down on the scorecards in another title fight, Foreman landed a twopunch combination that laid Michael Moorer down for the count of 10 in 1994. At 45 years, 299 days old, Foreman was once again the heavyweight champion of the world, the oldest man to hold boxing’s greatest prize (and also the oldest champion ever, a record that stood for 20 years).

“It happened,” Jim Lampley called on the HBO broadcast. “It happened!”

The Ring magazine named Foreman the ninth-greatest puncher of all time and, in 2002, one of the 25 best boxers of the past 80 years.

In a statement, Top Rank called Foreman “one of the biggest punchers and personalities the sport has ever seen.”

Fellow heavyweight Mike Tyson has paid tribute to George Foreman after the boxing great’s passing at the age of 76.

Foreman’s family said their hearts were broken by the death of “Big George”, who won 76 of his 81 professional fights after winning Olympic gold as an amateur in 1968.

“Condolences to George Foreman’s family,” Tyson said on social media, paying tribute. “His contribution to boxing and beyond will never be forgotten.”

Foreman also forged a successful career after life in the ring, with the George Foreman Grill selling in huge numbers worldwide.

Former NBA player Charles Barkley was close to Foreman, having similarly moved into entrepreneurial pursuits after his retirement. “He was obviously one of the greatest boxers ever, but just a gentle man, he was a pastor - and it just hurts man, plain and simple”, Barkley told CBS.

“I’m shook up right now, that caught me so off guard.”

Turki Alalshikh, a key figure in modern boxing and chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, described Foreman as one of “three pillars” of the sport along with Ali and Frazier.

“The last boxing pillar for an unforgettable era has passed away today,” Alalshikh posted alongside a picture of the trio. “May his soul rest in peace, Big George Foreman!”

Bob Arum, a leading boxing promoter and chair of Top Rank, said: “George was a great friend to not only myself, but to my entire family. We’ve lost a family member and are absolutely devastated.”

President Donald Trump also paid tribute on Truth Social: “George Foreman is dead. What a great fighter!!! He had, without question, the heaviest and biggest punch in the history of boxing. With the exception of Ali, when you got hit, you went down. He was something really special, but above all, he was a great person, with a personality that was bigger than life. I knew him well, and he will be missed. Warmest condolences to his wonderful family!!!”

The last of the World’s Greatest Boxers died Friday. The late George Foreman died at the age of 76.

Foreman ruled the boxing world along with the other pillars of boxing, Mohamad Ali and Joe Frazier.

Pictured: Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Mohamad Ali (the 3 Pillars).

Courtesy Photo

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