George Foreman | The Most Powerful Boxer In History

it happened it happened I can't believe it I can't believe it the tale of George Foreman is the Journey of two men who share the same name a story of personal turmoil to reinvention and Redemption a genuine puncher from the old times who proved that the smaller they are the Harder They Fall from the scourge of the heavyweight division to the sporting world's Jolly Santa Claus a hollywood-worthy epic of perhaps the most captivating life story of any athlete in history rainy day boxing brings you George Foreman a boxing Legend [Music] you would continue boxing even if you would lose over there I beg your pardon you don't think about losing no I've seen pictures of him in his prime he's picking up a full-grown cow I am the danger I'm the one to be afraid of definitely I'm the one who can hit you and knock you unconscious you hit Joe Frazier and he was actually off the floor I mean both feet can you imagine lifting somebody up in the air with one punch Foreman hitting the heavy bag is one of the more prodigious sites I've had in my life of all the people I've seen hitting heavy bags including Sonny Liston no one ever hit us the way Foreman did Corman would hit this bag Simon had just literally been picked off his feet he thought that the best way to deal with the world was just to become a monster beneath it was always that softness that he was trying to hide was years before I could really look in the mirror and say I'm who I want to be boxer George Foreman will put will put in retirement fact is the clock will not go back that is not a fact what you're saying the fact is I can become heavyweight champion in the world if I want to at any age a man myth will be dead without a dream you cannot live at the urging of other people all right [Music] born January 10 1949 George Foreman was raised in Houston's most violent District The Fifth Ward better known as the bloody fifth being from that environment the young George had to suppress his natural teddy bear self and display a more grisly exterior a naturally large child he thrived on the respect that is imposing physique with command and he used his size to become a Mugger of high prominence George was a byproduct of a place where despair permeated through the air and his life was heading nowhere and fast thank you his reputation was not just in the Fifth Ward he had a reputation all over the city he was known as a Mugger he was known as a mean guy one night as I was doing my normal stealing the police started chasing us when the crooks are being pursued the police go get the dogs and the dog sniffed them out and as they got closer and I saw a house it was the smallest hole I'd ever seen But I crawled underneath that house this slopped under the house I covered myself from head to toe with just mud and dirt so I crawled from underneath that house hours later the police didn't get me and I said I'm not stealing anymore I got to do something with my life the 17 year old Thug was issued a dare by those he victimized to take up boxing to determine if he was as tough as he claimed his attempt at boxing would not expose him as a pretender but would uncover god-given punching power that very few men have ever possessed [Applause] after only two years of boxing George was selected for the 1968 Olympic games where he bulldozed his way through every Challenger what a fight he is waging oh the Russian has been beaten all over the ring he appears to this reported to have had enough referee stops contest George Foreman is the winner of the gold medal in the heavyweight competition the young miscreant had risen from the dirt of the Fifth Ward to the highest point of the Olympic Podium draped in gold George had realized his first ever dream and it would instill in him an indelible belief in himself that he could exceed in all things that others expected of him unlike so many who when they finally arrive in the spotlight try to project a positive image of themselves George Went a different route and adopted a new Sinister persona when I first met him he was young and he was nice within a year or so he became one of the most Surly people I later learned that he was mimicking his great Idols Sonny Liston I met Sonny Liston he became my role model he had to be the most angry fella I admit he'd look right through you and he wasn't putting on being mean he was just not the nicest fella you'd meet I said that's the way you have to be to be heavyweight champion for the world I'm gonna be that he was mean I even took it a little further equipped with a menacing scowl and a hostile mindset the wrecking ball that was George Foreman was Unleashed on the heavyweight division fighters who had never exhibited caution before now fought fearfully as a man with cement fists and an uncontrollable desire to inflict pain sought after them tossing 200 pound men around with ease Foreman bludgeoned his foes into submission with a blunt Sledgehammer like Jab a manifestation of violence who needed not win by attrition Foreman turned his opponent's bones to powder minutes into the fight he had the determined look where he wanted to get on with it and get it over with and the fights as quickly as possible don't waste any time just do it that can be no question that George Foreman is possessed of extraordinary punching power so young so strong so Fearless who does away with his opponents one after another yeah fighting a market any of them whatever your question would I fight any of Foreman is the strongest man I have ever been in a ring with and in my opinion he has got to be the most awesome physical specimen that has ever been in the heavyweights of Israel oh there it is George Foreman George was in every sense of the word a crowd pleaser yet the audience's cheers always eluded him the crowd would instead greet him with consistent booze booze that would haunt and Trouble the mind of a young Foreman signing now we have Joe Frazier the champion and on the other side the number one Contender Mr George Foreman and I want all the people in the country and in all parts of the world to come out and see this fight and I don't think you'll be interested in come out and see his two friends shake hands Joe Frazier me will declare war on that date as a Challenger for the heavyweight title big George Foreman he's 64 and has a rate of 78 and a half inches 23 year old had amassed a magnificent undefeated record with 37 victories 34 by knockout twisting and turning his foe George knew exactly how to keep the champion off balance as Swift leather crashed upon Frasier's face it didn't take long for commentator Howard Cosell to what are those famous words [Music] George Foreman is champion of the world for some Fighters the fame and respect that comes with holding a world title only helps to stabilize their emotions for George who was struggling to find a sense of moral Direction the championship further corrupted his mental state George was still resisting his softer side but deep down he would love to have been easy going and in control of his temper but Foreman was addicted to being a figure that intimidated his peers an addiction that he developed in his teen years and one that fed his confidence and self-identity but one that he was deeply ashamed of feeding on the fear that his status as Champion instilled into the public George soon became the man that people loved to hate [Music] fight there's a huge press conference and he said nobody talks unless you get my permission I'm the Champion now people booed me and it was great because they were booing the right guy I was a bad fella because I did some things to people I'm ashamed of to this day I remember press conference where somebody asked him a question and George said I'll answer that outside if you have the courage to step outside waiting in the wings was the division's newest sensation Ken Norton fresh off a victory where he broke the jaw of Muhammad Ali you know what a steamroll is well I like to get a steamroller they can't Harden down and run over and mash them flat s for the second time he doesn't know where he is and it is all over George Foreman [Music] Ali versus Foreman The Rumble in the Jungle at the peak of his complacency George agreed to defend his title against Ali in Zaire Africa for five million dollars he arrived in hostile territory as the people were very much rooting for his opponent already feeling aggrieved by the nation's opposition towards him Ali's incessant taunts supplemented his already cloudy judgment with no inhibitions and a total dependency on his power Foreman threw punches with all the force he could generate the Trap was set and George fell into it [Music] inviting a man in counter punching talking to him Ali looks like he's trying to rest in this round but Ali continues to start to form a great left hand on the chin of Georgia do you think Pullman is in that bad okay [Applause] foreign [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] what has happened to it there he goes no one in the auditorium paying any attention to him nobody wants to Marble a beaten champion George now had to live with the embarrassment of not only being defeated but having been bamboozled in front of the whole world from people being in awe of his presence to garnering only pity from those who saw him stripped of his bravado a mental breakdown began to take place it's a hard thing to live with losing something like the championship of the world I'd have fight that fight most nights and I'd be winning winning then I get knocked down and by the time I jump up I wake up out of the dream again I could not win that fight not even in my dreams this time this man has gotten me to the point where I just taste his presence inbox and I really want to beat him more than anything in the world I want to beat him I want them to be behind me and be a fan and hope that the public was a man that I fight with man again longing to have the Public's respect again George agreed to an event which would have him fight five men in one night a bizarre promotion that did nothing to heal his heart [Music] he is not popularly received as you can hear Ali has created sitting here to my right a carnival atmosphere in the arena even those closest to George Foreman have been concerned about the fact he's not been the same man ever since Ali beta referee Harry Davis to stop the fight what is happening there Foreman is not himself he's going after the kid again needlessly for no reason [Music] to see you'll hear the fan reaction to George Foreman George punched on the spawns trailer now getting Punchy I don't know what's wrong with it it's in Desperate trouble the left Florida they've started fighting again the referee off in the corner with the Handler I told you this is the weirdest occasion you'll ever want to see now there's gonna be a fight between the trainers now there's nothing but Mayhem in the ring the thing totally out of control and George Foreman is walking around the center of the Ring looking at the fans who are doing them no way that Powerpuff low down good for nothing loud mouth more Hammond whatever he called his name can beat no George Foreman how can you be a champion and live against the road the dispirated Foreman made a second run at the title but he no longer inspired the same fear in his opponents and his vulnerabilities were plain to see his aspirations came abruptly to an end when on a blistering night in Puerto Rico a little known Underdog handed Foreman the second loss of his career exhausted and dehydrated George made his way to his dressing room where he would soon lose Consciousness and find himself in a state of complete misery all of my life went out of me my leg gave out on me and I was in this deep dark place like a dump yard I've ever sad thought I'd ever had in my life it was a horrible smell to go along with it that I've never forgotten to this day and I know this place was hell but I said I don't care if this is death I still believe in God when I said that I was rescued out of this place I was in a dress room they looked at me and I started screaming and haven't stopped since Jesus Christ has come alive in me through heat prostration George heard the message that God felt he needed to hear and it brought about a change in his life that needed to happen fans were in disbelief when the 28 year old announced his retirement from boxing it was thought that this supposed Awakening would be short-lived but Foreman's conviction to his faith would prove to be undeniable George would commit the following 10 years of his life to the church as an evangelist and gave away all his Earthly possessions the gentle giant had been set free from the prison that was his early public Persona this is the proof that I was in the fight with him in the world I actually hated him and today I talked with him all the time I love him now I can't understand how another man would ball up his fist and put on gloves and try to knock another man in the country I just can't see it I don't understand how I did it I couldn't do that again by 1987 Foreman was devoting most of his time to a youth and Community Center that he had founded dedicating what was left from his career earnings into this Youth Center until his savings were all but dried up in need of funds George returned to the profession he knew best this time he'd be entering the ring for the right reasons and he'd be doing it as his true self I made an announcement to my friends I was coming back the newspaper got a hold to it and they started talking about me as bad as they could George Foreman's chance of winning aren't slim and none they're fat and none one of the fighters takes that description heavyweight very serious now he's conning himself he cannot separate the fantasy and the reality every reporter would take a shot at me he'll never do it and they just take up the people criticize me in the same time they were making me all famous again would you welcome George Foreman like I don't like losing that weight anymore I like being the biggest guy in the ring it's like telling a lion to lose weight to fight a house cat you know yeah 280 pounds when you went into training that's a lot was only 279. but you look good you look great are you only saying that because it's true miss you with my rifle belly [ __ ] you [Music] no longer the glowering hedonist George Foreman had become The Smiling Preacher Man Who viewers couldn't help but love this new affable personality was a Reincarnation of Muhammad Ali's Charisma and the crowds greeted the announcement of his name with outpours of affection for 10 years the division's most frightening Force lay dormant and his power was now coupled with wisdom an Unstoppable marriage that the new generation of boxers weren't ready for oh what a right hand oh George Foreman after all these years still acts as though he's the boss in the ring he just sort of presents himself there and said this is my place [Music] can be explosive look at him with arms like tree trunks and there he goes oh it has said and this fight's over because I'm getting talented people running from me in the ring Mike Tyson uh Holyfield you a bunch of bums instead of him be a man and fight a real fighter that was pretty good one Foreman was once again a bona fide Contender and his dream was now America's dream the promotional force that was big George was a gold mine for the sport and it would be hard put to find another fighter whose celebrity had swelled to such Heights George Foreman has become the Undisputed champion of the big cell in boxing no one is bigger more admired or more in demand you caught your kids how to eat like this George is natural George knows people George loves kids and his heart pours out to them no one had rung the publicity drum as relentlessly as George had so despite his critics constant skepticism every other fighter was begging for the payday that a form and match-up would bring them one fighter who thought the old man would be easy picking was the Undisputed world champion Evander Holyfield [Music] right hand on on surface of Holyfield's head and he's momentarily stunned it's on the left of the Joint Turns things around again another left hook and a right will George go down when Evander stopped fussing George gets a chance and he's making the most of it right now Joy's caught me one time in that fight and I thought he knocked all my teeth up and I I go back to the corner I said did he knock all my teeth out refusing to back away from the divisions told to told King Foreman showed little effect from the beating he was taking and he made sure to give the champion a taste of his face numbing power the decision didn't go his way but any thought of his return being a farce had come to an end I still would like to be heavyweight champ of the world I didn't come back for a decent payday I came back for the heavyweight title knocked me on the floor beat me up then I'll quit but if you can't do that I'll be here George is immense marketability was attracting him million dollar sponsors and endorsements he had become so preoccupied with public appearances commercials and even his own television show that his boxing career had become secondary his ability seemed to be eroding round by round pressure for him to retire began piling up taking a lot of punishment this round I haven't seen George take this much punishment than any fight in a long long time he's taking a lot more punishment here than he has in any fight in the comeback and the time may be running out on the second career of big George Foreman George you've thrilled us you've been great you've inspired us you've entertained us but now please isn't it time to go back to the old fishing hole before you seriously get hurt you know I really resent the fact that people that keep asking me when are you going to quit how many fights are you gonna have I leave Boston when I want to the main thing in the world is not to let anyone dictate my life I've gotten into the ring with guys and I've seen them turn their back and run I mean literally turn their backs on me and run I'm not gonna call that a victory over me you knock me down you rip me awkward if someone's whipped me someone knocked me down I'm never gonna fight again with the fall of Evander Holyfield a new Champion had emerged one who would be bold enough to try to knock the old man out now 45 years of age George was battling father time itself the youngster hunted for the Finish an unloaded volley after Valley but Foreman knew he no longer had the speed necessary to launch an effective retaliation to lull his opponent to sleep George refrained from letting his right hand go with full force in hopes that the champion would feel comfortable enough to fight in the pocket to the point where he no longer felt the need to hit and move I have a sense here that Moore feels as though he has felt poorman's power and it's not going to hurt him I thought that he would fight cautiously and work for a decision but he now looks to me as though he thinks he's going to be able to knock Foreman out and he thinks he'll do it by standing in front of him and trading shots could be a big mistake for 10 Rounds Michael Moore had been gaining the false sense of security that he could absorb the slow and Powerless right crosses that foreman had been releasing it was now George who played the role of the deceiver the Trap was set and more fell into it on a right hand an unbelievably close in right hand shot it happened it happened I can't believe it as referee waved his arms over more George Foreman knelt in prayer in the neutral corner Foreman had regained the title which he had lost 20 years earlier an unprecedented feat not only in boxing but in sporting history it was the perfect ending to the fairy tale story that was George Foreman's career George earned over 300 million dollars enough to finance his community center a thousand times over and to this day the building stands offering Refuge to all the youth who look to better themselves Foreman success is not measured by his riches but by the growth of his character fiercely fighting off anyone who tried to dictate how he should live his life George accomplished every goal he had ever set out to achieve but more importantly he found himself along the way I believe George is the most underappreciated heavyweight of all time for one reason he won the legitimate heavyweight championship of the world 20 years apart as two different Fighters and two entirely different human beings first half of his career tried desperately to be sunny listed in the second half he tried to be Muhammad Ali and somehow he pulled them both off I thought he needed love and I thought he had to find himself and he did that he exhibited such human qualities when the second George Foreman emerged that the first George Foreman was really forgotten I like the idea of being remembered as a boxer but I think 20 years from today when people look back I want them to remember that George Foreman was not afraid to pursue life and ready to conquer the world George Foreman came he saw he conquered hey [Music]

Channel: Rainy Day Boxing

Views: 2,061,703

Keywords: george foreman, muhammad ali, sonny liston, documentary, boxing, boxeo, tribute, black athlete, dazn, pbc, showtime

Id: 8zfpIkEylSg

Length: 26min 44sec (1604 seconds)

Published: Sat Apr 29 2023