Big George Foreman Makes History: It Happened!

By 1991, former world heavyweight champion George Foreman’s comeback activity had slowed to one fight a year, sometimes twice. At his advanced age, after coming up short in his second world title shot against Tommy Morrison, it looked like Foreman was all but done with fighting.

After the Morrison fight, Foreman starred in a sitcom on ABC titled “George,” loosely based on his real-life story. In addition to his work as a commercial pitchman for Meineke, Big George was also hired to endorse brands such as Doritos, Everlast, and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Read Part 1 of our Big George Foreman series here.

The ABC TV series “George” ran for nine episodes in 1993-1994. Photo: ABC

Foreman’s most significant endorsement came in 1994: “The Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine,” known as “The George Foreman Grill.” Big George was keeping himself plenty busy and had not stepped in the ring since the defeat to Morrison. He no longer needed to fight to support his church and youth program as he did in his original return plan.

It was late 1994. Foreman had been out of action for well over a year when an unexpected announcement came. On November 5, 1994, George Foreman would return to the ring to fight the undefeated heavyweight champion Michael Moorer.

Moorer would make the first defense of the title he won earlier in the year against Evander Holyfield. At 35-0 with 30 knockouts, Moorer was one of the hottest commodities in the sport. A former world champion at light heavyweight, Moorer had moved up to heavyweight a month after Foreman’s comeback began. He won the title in his 13th fight in his new weight class.

Michael Moorer (left) and Evander Holyfield trade blows during their title fight on April 22, 1994 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Moorer won the fight in the twelfth round. Photo: BoxRec Wiki

Aside from being a thudding puncher, Moorer was the owner of perhaps the best jab in all of boxing. With his unorthodox southpaw stance and youth at age 26, Moorer posed serious problems for the inactive Foreman. Foreman had been out of action for 17 long months, which is not exactly a recipe for success for a man coming off a one-sided defeat and two months shy of his 46th birthday.

The fight was set in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, televised on HBO Boxing. Moorer was expected to make a statement. Few gave Big George a chance. As likeable and charismatic a figure as Foreman had become, common sense replaced sentimental hope. Foreman was 20 years and 30 pounds removed from the title and performed poorly in two of his previous three outings.

Moorer vs Foreman: It Happened

Fight poster for Moorer vs Foreman on November 5, 1994. Photo: BoxRec Wiki

The action picked up where Foreman left off against Morrison nearly a year and a half earlier. The much slower Foreman had difficulty landing punches on the intended receiver. Round after round, Foreman plodded along. Round after round, Moorer would land his right jab almost at will while depleting his senior challenger.

Moorer controlled the pace from the beginning to the end of each passing round as Big George’s face began to show the effects of the physical pounding he was receiving. By round eight, Foreman’s left eye was nearly shut and he was far behind on the scorecards.

Despite being able to absorb everything Moorer had thrown at him, Foreman was on his way to losing a decision. It seemed the predictable outcome. Foreman’s trainer, Angelo Dundee, could read the writing on the wall as well. Foreman was too far behind. The only way Foreman could win would be by knockout.

That’s exactly what Dundee told Foreman after the ninth round ended. In the Moorer corner, trainer Teddy Atlas warned his fighter that he was too comfortable staying at close quarters with Foreman, who had landed a few more big right hands than Atlas wanted to see. Atlas wanted Moorer to fight at a longer range and make Foreman exert more energy by coming to the champion.

Brimming with confidence and feeling he had already taken Foreman’s best shot, Moorer didn’t follow his trainer’s instructions and continued boxing Foreman from close range. Foreman began to have some success in round 10, and his right hand was finding a home as Moorer continued to fend off the challenger with jabs and left crosses. Big George had fewer than three rounds to make something huge happen, as the sand ran out of the hourglass.

And then it happened!

An incredibly short right hand came directly behind a left jab from Foreman, landing directly on the mouth and jaw of the champion, who fell on his back to the canvas. As Moorer lay on his back, Foreman walked to the neutral corner. Moorer was still on his back as referee Joe Cortez reached the count of seven. Moorer rolled over, attempting to reach his feet but could not do so before the count reached ten.

In the now-famous words of HBO Boxing broadcaster Jim Lampley, “IT HAPPENED! IT HAPPENED!” At the unlikely age of 45, George Foreman had recaptured the world heavyweight championship he lost 20 years earlier in one of the most iconic moments in sports history.

Foreman’s Second Reign as Heavyweight Champion

George Foreman would reign as heavyweight champion a second time, 20 years after his first run. Photo: BoxRec Wiki

The story could end there, but Foreman would go on to fight four more times over the course of the next three years ,finally hanging the gloves up after a controversial decision loss to Shannon Briggs.

Foreman was less than two months away from his 49th birthday. Briggs was 25 years old. The fight took place in 1997. Nearly 28 years later, you would be hard pressed to find a person not affiliated with Briggs who would tell you Foreman wasn’t robbed that night in Atlantic City.

Foreman was so disenchanted by that decision, he finally hung up the boxing gloves for good – 28 years after making his professional debut. His record during act two of his boxing career: 31-3 with 26 knockouts.

George Foreman, American Cultural Icon

George Foreman transcended boxing to become an American cultural icon. Photo: BoxRec Wiki

Foreman continued as a spokesperson for Meinke Mufflers until 2000 and as an HBO Boxing color commentator until 2004. During that time, Foreman was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003. He also did a little more acting, playing himself in the films “Play it to the Bone,” “Night at the Museum,” and “The Fighter.”

Foreman’s greatest business achievement outside of the boxing ring was the George Foreman Grill, which sold over 100 million units. For all the advertising and marketing Foreman lent his name to throughout his career, it was the Foreman Grill that made George Foreman into a crossover star. It greatly contributed to Foreman’s estimated $300 million in career earnings.

The George Foreman Grill earned Foreman in the neighborhood of $4.5 million per month, with $100 million reportedly paid to Foreman in 1999 for the naming rights. Not bad for a pugilist.

Considering the vast amount of money Big George was earning outside the ring, it illustrates just how badly this man wanted to regain the heavyweight championship. A few years into his comeback, finances were not the motivational factor for him getting in the ring.

During Foreman’s ten years away from the sport, he did exactly zero training. He never hit a heavy bag, sparred a round, or ran a single mile. He had completely thrown himself into religion, with boxing the furthest thing from his mind.

To come back and accomplish all that Foreman did was a minor miracle. Imagine not starting your car or turning on the air conditioner for a decade. This man climbed back into the ring and won 31 of 34 pro fights, capping the journey off by winning a world title 20 years after he captured his first.

In 2023, the biopic movie about Foreman’s life titled “Big George Foreman” starring Khris Davis and Forest Whitaker was released, immortalizing the legend on the silver screen.

George Foreman’s impact on the world was enormous. A devoted husband, a father of 12, a grandfather of 15, a great-grandfather of three, an Olympic Gold medalist, a two-time heavyweight world champion, an entrepreneur, boxing commentator, actor, author, preacher, and ordained minister.

Foreman lived life to the fullest and was widely respected and loved in and outside of the ring. He was a man of conviction, a man of discipline and a man of faith who taught the world that age is nothing more than a number. He tutored us on the power a smile could have, which was always plastered across his face to reflect his character.

I thoroughly enjoyed George Foreman, who was a fixture throughout my entire life. I also know there will never be another like him. RIP, Champion.