George Foreman, the two-time heavyweight boxing champion and Olympic gold medalist whose legendary rivalry with Muhammad Ali culminated in the famous "Rumble in the Jungle" title bout, died Friday at the age of 76, according to a verified social media account dedicated to Foreman.
Known as one of the most powerful punchers in boxing history, Foreman won Olympic gold in only his 25th amateur fight, devastated one of the all-time greats in Joe Frazier and went on to retain the heavyweight title twice before his now-iconic 1974 fight with Ali in Zaire, which is now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Foreman, a dedicated Christian, became an ordained minister after losing his second professional boxing match in 1977 and retired from the sport. But in 1987, he returned to the ring at the age of 38.
In 1994, Foreman stunned the boxing world when he won the IBF and WBA heavyweight titles by defeating Michael Moorer. It was 20 years after his loss to Ali.
Outside of boxing, Foreman enjoyed major success as an entrepreneur, with his "George Foreman Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine” product debuting in 1994 and going on to sell more than 100 million units worldwide.
He also launched a clothing line and a short-lived reality TV show starring himself with his wife and 12 children – including five boys named George.