His powerful punch prowess and status as a heavyweight boxing great are why George Foreman became known worldwide.
But during Foreman’s two-hour funeral service at the Wortham Theater Center on April 14, his boxing accomplishments as an Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time Heavyweight Champion served as little more than filler talk as the man known as Big George was remembered most for his love of God, family, others and his hometown Houston. Foreman died March 21 at the age of 76.
“All of the traits I could mention, his faith, his family, his boxing career, his business career, the one that stands out to me as a friend of George Foreman is he never forgot where he came from,” said Houston Mayor John Whitmire, who had been friends with Foreman since they first met in 1973. “It’s so significant for someone who has such acclaim and worldwide recognition. He knew and recognized that it started in Houston, Texas, the Fifth Ward.”
Foreman was a father and husband, but his biggest source of pride was his parents, Nancy and J.D. Foreman.
“His love for his parents was legendary,” said Foreman’s son Pastor George Foreman IV while delivering the eulogy. “He always talked about how much he loved his mother and his love for his father.”
Foreman had his troubles as a youth growing up in Fifth Ward, which is why his mother pushed him to go into Job Corp. From there, his life changed forever.
He went on to win Olympic Gold in 1968 and then became a young Heavyweight Champion in 1973 after demolishing Joe Frazier to set up the biggest fight of his career against Muhammad Ali, known as the “Rumble in the Jungle” in Zaire.
“He was not just my Dad, he was my friend, my mentor. Same with my brothers. He didn’t build a true corporation with board members, he grabbed us all and told us, `It’s time for you to get to work.’”
Pastor George Foreman IV
“Dad was searching for trouble or trouble just seemed to find him,” George IV said while recollecting on his father’s beginnings. “You all know the story of him robbing people on the streets in Fifth Ward, but what you don’t know is he often robbed people to give a little something to his family, help his mother out.
“But it was his mother who shamed him from being a thief. `One thing about our family is we never had any thieves in our family,’ she would say. And Geroge would look around like `Who told momma?’”
Foreman evolved to become not only the Heavyweight Champion of the World, but through his gregarious smile and heart of gold, became known out of the ring as a philanthropist, businessman and a man of God. He not only changed the trajectory of his poor family, but he used his riches and kindness to change the lives of people he didn’t know.
Dr. James Douglas, former Texas Southern president and current Distinguished Professor of Law at TSU’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law, remembers Foreman coming to him because he had made a lot of money and wanted to share some of it with the NAACP. He settled on contributing $200,000 to the organization.
“That was George,” Douglas recalled. “George gave money to five different organizations. You wouldn’t believe it. But the thing that brought me to George was his love for God and his love for everybody else who paced this earth. He is a wonderful man.”
Whitmire recalled last year, a little after being sworn into office, that Foreman called wanting to partner with the new mayor to help young people with backgrounds similar to his get an education, healthcare and job training. Whitmire was all for it.
Unfortunately, Foreman passed away before the partnership became a reality.
“I want to say his vision will live on,” said Whitmire, who established a proclamation that April 14 is now George Foreman Day in Houston. “I am committed to George’s vision across Houston, certainly the community in which he grew up. Join me in carrying out George Foreman’s mission for young people, not only in Houston but across the United States and the world.”
Foreman’s funeral service, which was attended by thousands, included speakers, several musical tributes, photos of him and family and snippets of his voice telling his story while a casket draped with an American flag sat below.
Former Heavyweight Champion boxer Michael Moorer, whose reign as undefeated champ came to an end when Foreman leveled him with a crushing blow to become the oldest Heavyweight Champion ever at the age of 45 in 1994, was one of the speakers at the service. Moorer and Foreman eventually forged a strong friendship that lasted until his death.
“I will forever be connected to George Foreman,” Moorer said. “We went from being competitors in 1994 to having a relationship built on respect for over 30 years. George is boxing royalty, an Olympic Gold Medalist, a two-time Heavyweight Champion and also into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
“This man fought competitively in four separate decades. The older George smiled—we remember that smile right—but do not be fooled; when that bell rung he was all business.”
Of course, Foreman returned to boxing in Act II of his career when he defeated Moorer. He had spent years focusing on his ministry and helping others before deciding to return to boxing after initially walking away in 1977.
He returned to boxing a friendlier and more jovial personality, which endeared him to the next generation who not only saw him as a boxer but as the pitchman for the Foreman Grill and as an expert boxing analyst.
“George then introduced himself to another generation of boxers and fans as an analyst for HBO Boxing,” Moorer said. “George was a champion in life. His faith transformed the shy country boy from Texas to a successful businessman and a voice for the less fortunate.
“His capacity to re-invent himself and learn from the past and re-engage with the world shaped boxing in the public for over 50 years. We should all learn from the life George lived. Rest well champ.”
What was also clear during the service was how much of a family man Foreman was with his wife, children, grandchildren and family members in attendance. George IV looked at his family members and reminded them that they had witnessed and received the greatest love.
“The only greater love than this is the love of Jesus Christ,” George IV said with four of his brothers standing behind him. “I know with certainty he is sitting down at the thrown having a talk with his friend Jesus, the same with loved ones. He always talked about living right and doing right so that he could see his mother’s face. I guarantee that’s where he is right now. Rest well, Dad.”
