SPECIALITIES: Convention/Trade Show, Corporate Event, Corporate Hospitality, Corporate Video/Infomercial, Endorsement/Spokesperson, Fundraiser, Golf Outing, Product Launch/Promotion, Public Service Announcement, Public Event, Public Relations Campaign, Satellite Media Tour, Speaking Engagement, Personal Appearance
CHARITIES: Knock-out Pediatric Cancer, The George Foreman Youth & Community Center,
BIO: George Edward Foreman, born in the town of Marshall, Texas, came from an impoverished family and grew-up bullying younger children. By the age of fifteen, George became a mugger and brawler on the rough street of Huston. Lyndon Johnson’s Job Corps program, which helped troubled children, fortunately saved George from his troubled childhood. George traveled to California to Job Corps where he met with boxing coach Doc Broaddus. Here Doc Broaddus advised George on becoming a fighter. The height of his amateur career was in 1968 at the Mexico City Olympics where he won a gold medal in his twenty-fifth amateur fight.
One year later, George turned professional. Within two years, he was ranked the No. 1 challenger by the WBA and WBC. By 1972, George had a remarkable record of thirty-seven wins and no losses. The world heavyweight championship was held in Kingston, Jamaica in 1973 and George was arranged to fight Joe Frazier, in what was called the Sunshine Showdown, who was the favorite going into the fight. In the second round, George knocked Joe out and a record amount of people were able to see the fight due to HBO’s first ever boxing broadcast. He then went on to beat Puerto Rican heavyweight champion Jose Roman in 50 seconds (shortest championship match for heavyweight) to defend his title. George also beat Ken Norton (who just beat Muhammad Ali) in just two rounds. But facing Ali himself was a different story; George went down in the Rumble in the Jungle. This fight was had been delayed by George due to an injury he suffered in training, which led Ali to say snide remarks which taunted George, making him too agitated to stay focused. George decided to take 1975 off, but then returned again in 1977 to face off to Jimmy Young in Puerto Rico. He won a number of fights before his match against Jimmy, which he lost by decision. In 1984, George founded the George Foreman Youth and Community Center-a place where children who need direction can go. Needing more money to support the Center, George decided to go back to boxing to support his Center. He proved so many people wrong when he kept winning fights into his forty’s. George had a change at a title in 1991, but ended up losing to Evander Holyfield by decision.
1994 was an exciting year for George. In the 10th round fighting the twenty-six year old new champ, Michael Moorer, George knocked him out and at the age of forty-four, became the oldest fighter ever to win the heavyweight crown, and the fighter with the most time between one world championship to the next.
His second career began in 1999 when he again retired from boxing. His career as a businessman was a great success. He realized his natural talent for sales and eventually was making millions off of infomercials-marketing the George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine, which has gone to sell over one hundred million units to date. After almost a decade of promoting Meineke Car Care Centers, George has successfully launched a line of environmentally safe cleaning products, a line of personal care products, a delicious health shake, prescription shoe for diabetics, a restaurant franchise (UFood Grille), ten books and now a vitamin and supplement store. George works heavily with his charities and ministry work, with his most recent work Knock-Out Pediatric Cancer program. George Foreman can make personal appearances, public service announcements and corporate events.
APPEARANCES: Late Night, The Tonight Show, ESPN, HBO, ABC, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Martha
ENDORSEMENTS: George Foreman Grill
BOOKS: Fatherhood by George, Going the Extra Smile, God in my Corner: A Spiritual Memoir, Knockout Entrepreneur
WHO REPRESENTS GEORGE FOREMAN: Celebrity Speaker George Foreman can be hired for endorsements and events in roles such as corporate appearances, endorsements, speaking and autograph signing. To contact, hire or book George Foreman regarding your specific engagement request please fill out our Celebrity Booking Agent Contact Form.
