George Foreman
Birthday: 10 January 1949, Marshall, Texas, USA
Birth Name: George Edward Foreman
Height: 192 cm
George Foreman was boxing's most feared fighter from 1973-1974. Undefeated in 40 straight fights, 37 by knockout, he was on a 24 consecutive knockout run when he faced Muhammad Ali on October 30, ...Show More
Joe Frazier told me why he had that hate for Muhammad Ali. Muhammad was calling him an Uncle Tom. Ki Show more
Joe Frazier told me why he had that hate for Muhammad Ali. Muhammad was calling him an Uncle Tom. Kids would go to school and taunt his children, and they'd come home and his wife would hear about it. What bothered Joe was that every morning he'd get up really early, when it was dark, to get the roadwork in. He always wore this big hood over his head when he ran. And he said, "Man, I don't want my wife thinking I'm peeping into people's windows. The point is, at the time, Joe didn't get what an Uncle Tom was. He hated Muhammad because he thought Ali was calling him a Peepin' Tom. If someone would have explained to Joe what an Uncle Tom was, he might not have ever hated Ali. Hide
All my sons are named George Foreman. They all know where they came from.
All my sons are named George Foreman. They all know where they came from.
The seventies are the best years. That's when you're wise.
The seventies are the best years. That's when you're wise.
You don't know what it is to be heavyweight champ of the world until you become the heavyweight cham Show more
You don't know what it is to be heavyweight champ of the world until you become the heavyweight champ of the world. It's tough. You hear, "So-and-so became champ and he had five girls and five Cadillacs." So you get five Cadillacs and five girls just because so-and-so had it. It doesn't originate from you. It's not desire or physical urgency. It's all ignorance. Hide
When there was no lunch to take to school, I blew up a brown paper sack to make it look full.
When there was no lunch to take to school, I blew up a brown paper sack to make it look full.
Winning the title for a second time from Michael Moorer was a special moment. But it was nothing bey Show more
Winning the title for a second time from Michael Moorer was a special moment. But it was nothing beyond that. A week later, people were heaping praises on me, and it was hard because you've gotta act like it's still important. But it was already over. Hide
Food makes me happy.""I'm on a see-food diet. I see food, I eat it."[plugging his TV series] "And yo Show more
Food makes me happy.""I'm on a see-food diet. I see food, I eat it."[plugging his TV series] "And you better be watching, or I'll beat you up and eat all of your food. Hide
Imagine losing everything you think matters to you in ten seconds.
Imagine losing everything you think matters to you in ten seconds.
Sometimes my older brothers and sisters would tease me, call me Mo-head. I didn't know why. Sometime Show more
Sometimes my older brothers and sisters would tease me, call me Mo-head. I didn't know why. Sometimes they'd say, "You're not really our brother." That would drive me crazy. Even before I outgrew them, they learned that the teasing wasn't worth the consequences. Hide
Can't retire from exercising.
Can't retire from exercising.
I called Muhammad the other day. I said, "Muhammad, I think I can really get you now in a rematch." Show more
I called Muhammad the other day. I said, "Muhammad, I think I can really get you now in a rematch." And he said, "You crazy!". He doesn't speak rapidly, but he said, "George, I'm coming to see you." He said it with such love. No, I don't have any regrets. Hide
I love Joe Frazier. He's been an original from day one. A few years back, Joe, Muhammad, and I did a Show more
I love Joe Frazier. He's been an original from day one. A few years back, Joe, Muhammad, and I did a video in England. After the taping, we were at a charity dinner with some of the royal family. They were serving lamb chops with mint jelly -- beautiful food. The waiter asked, "Can I get you anything else?" And Joe said, "I want some more green jelly." The waiter said, "Do you mean mint sauce?" And Joe said, "Same thing." And I thought, Some people put on a face for you and a face for someone else. But this man has only one face. "Same thing." If you understood what he said, why did you need to correct him? Hide
In the 1968 Olympics, Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised black-gloved fists on the victory stand, a Show more
In the 1968 Olympics, Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised black-gloved fists on the victory stand, and that's all people were talking about. My gold medal didn't have much luster when I went home to Houston, but it sure had luster to me. I wore that thing everywhere I went. Those were the days of Nehru jackets and medallions, so it just fit in. I wore it so much that after a while, some of the gold started to rub off. A jeweler made it look pretty again, and I didn't want any more gold to rub off, so I put it in a safe-deposit box. That's where it stayed for years. In the eighties, I moved to Marshall, Texas. I decided to put that medal in the historical society so the kids could see it and be inspired. The message was, you could come out of this small town and do big things. I want all the children in the world to feel like that medal is as much theirs as it is my children's. Hide
I never did anything for personal gain. When I was a boxer, I wanted to be champion of the world, no Show more
I never did anything for personal gain. When I was a boxer, I wanted to be champion of the world, not the richest man in the world. If you can maintain that integrity in whatever you do, you can't go wrong. That's what I tell my kids, anyway. Hide
I'll tell you how low a man can go. There was a B.B. King song that went, "Nobody loves me but my mo Show more
I'll tell you how low a man can go. There was a B.B. King song that went, "Nobody loves me but my mother/And she could be jiving', too. Hide
Sandy Saddler, the great featherweight champion, gave me some advice after I won the title. I said, Show more
Sandy Saddler, the great featherweight champion, gave me some advice after I won the title. I said, "Man, this sex thing. How did you deal with this sex thing? He said, "George, it's real easy when you're married and faithful to one woman. Because when you're in the mood, she's in the mood. It gets out of hand when you start messing with two or three people. It becomes unmanageable. Even you become unmanageable. Be faithful to one. I just didn't grasp it at the time. Hide
After I lost to Muhammad Ali in Zaire, I told everybody that I was robbed. The ropes were loose, the Show more
After I lost to Muhammad Ali in Zaire, I told everybody that I was robbed. The ropes were loose, the water was drugged....Then, once I'd changed my nature, I realized what a blemish I'd put on this great man's career. Why would I go out and spit on his victory to mess up this great man's name? Hide
Most of us are just kids.
Most of us are just kids.
Changing your nature is the hardest thing to do. But I discovered that you can be who you choose to Show more
Changing your nature is the hardest thing to do. But I discovered that you can be who you choose to be. Hide
As a child I was sometimes so hungry that I used to dream that one day I'd get locked in a grocery s Show more
As a child I was sometimes so hungry that I used to dream that one day I'd get locked in a grocery store. Hide
On his boxing comeback, "I didn't come back for the money. I just got sick of beating people up for Show more
On his boxing comeback, "I didn't come back for the money. I just got sick of beating people up for free." Hide
We couldn't afford a TV. But my Aunt Leola let me watch hers. I'd watch The Donna Reed Show (1958) a Show more
We couldn't afford a TV. But my Aunt Leola let me watch hers. I'd watch The Donna Reed Show (1958) and Leave It to Beaver (1957) and wonder what it would be like to have my own bed. Shutting off a reading lamp next to your bed seemed like the height of luxury. Hide
My mother used to tell me, "You live and learn. Then you die and forget it all."
My mother used to tell me, "You live and learn. Then you die and forget it all."
I called them all George because I was worried that when I was older I might suffer from memory loss Show more
I called them all George because I was worried that when I was older I might suffer from memory loss. I would have called my five girls George, too, but my wife said she thought that was overkill. When one of them is naughty, I shout 'George!' and that one knows who I mean. The only time it is awkward for me is when a teacher calls up and say we have a problem with George, and I have to ask them which one. Hide
The day after I lost to Muhammad Ali, people came by and put a hand on my shoulder and said, "It's o Show more
The day after I lost to Muhammad Ali, people came by and put a hand on my shoulder and said, "It's okay, George. You'll have another chance." That was pity. From being feared to being pitied. Brother, that's a long fall. Hide
I dread handshakes. I've got some problems with my hands, and everywhere I go, people want to impres Show more
I dread handshakes. I've got some problems with my hands, and everywhere I go, people want to impress me with their grip. To make it worse, now women are coming up with that firm shake. So I'll say, "Gimme five!" If a boy wants a handshake, I'll just give him a hug. Hide
Preaching is the most original thing I've ever done. There's nothing familiar about it. You have to Show more
Preaching is the most original thing I've ever done. There's nothing familiar about it. You have to be brave. Hide
Missing is part of winning.
Missing is part of winning.
[on his match with Ron Lyle in January 1976] It was definitely the toughest fight I've ever had.
[on his match with Ron Lyle in January 1976] It was definitely the toughest fight I've ever had.
The first thing that came into my mind when I signed the grill contract for $137.5 million was, I'm Show more
The first thing that came into my mind when I signed the grill contract for $137.5 million was, I'm going to make my sisters millionaires. After all these years, they're finally going to be millionaires. And they did become millionaires -- with the same old troubles as everybody else. Hide
Losing your mother is the most mysterious lostness. You know how the astronauts walk in space, attac Show more
Losing your mother is the most mysterious lostness. You know how the astronauts walk in space, attached to the spacecraft by a line? The moment you find out your mother's died, you feel like someone's slipped the line off the craft. You're just floating away. Floating... floating... I remember my daughter called and said, "Don't you worry. I'm on my way." All the sudden that line snagged and I was anchored again. Hide
As an adult, I found out that my dad, J.D. Foreman, was not my biological dad. My mom and J.D. had b Show more
As an adult, I found out that my dad, J.D. Foreman, was not my biological dad. My mom and J.D. had broken up for a time, and that's when I was conceived. That's why my brothers and sisters called me Mo-head. What they were really saying was Moorehead. My biological dad was named Leroy Moorehead. Hide
I remember how people looked at me as I left the United States for Zaire. "Man, that's George Forema Show more
I remember how people looked at me as I left the United States for Zaire. "Man, that's George Foreman, going to fight Muhammad Ali." Then they'd drop their heads. Fear. Nobody would give me a straight-on look. It was a funny kind of admiration. There were people too scared to even ask for an autograph. Hide
I grew up in the Fifth Ward of Houston -- the Bloody Fifth, we called it. Every weekend someone got Show more
I grew up in the Fifth Ward of Houston -- the Bloody Fifth, we called it. Every weekend someone got killed. Hide
When I won the title against Joe Frazier, it was everything I ever worked for.
When I won the title against Joe Frazier, it was everything I ever worked for.
Evil lurks where disappointment lodges.
Evil lurks where disappointment lodges.
George Foreman's FILMOGRAPHY
All
as Actor (129)
