George Foreman, boxing legend and grill mogul, dead at 76

(NEXSTAR) — The family of George Foreman — the prolific pro boxer, Olympian and famed entrepreneur behind the George Foreman Grill — says the 76 year-old died Friday, March 21, "surrounded by loved ones."

In an Instagram post, the family stated in part: "A humanitarian, an Olympian, and two time heavyweight champion of the world, He was deeply respected — a force for good, a man of discipline, conviction, and a protector of his legacy, fighting tirelessly to preserve his good name— for his family."

Foreman was born Jan. 10, 1949 in Marshall, Texas, and later moved to California, where he began properly training for boxing. Foreman's big debut came at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, where foreman won a gold medal after defeating Soviet Union boxer Jonas Čepulis.

The boxer's early amateur career was marked with various tournament wins and breaking several records. Foreman's professional boxing career began in 1969, with a three-round knockout fight in New York City, followed by multiple other knockout wins.

Among Foreman's most-famous fights were "The Sunshine Showdown," against heavyweight champ Joe Frazier, where Foreman scored a TKO in the second round. Perhaps Foreman's most well-known boxing match was the iconic "Rumble in the Jungle," on Oct. 30, 1974 — when Foreman went head-to-head with Muhammad Ali in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). Though Ali proved victorious, the exposure and legacy of the fight made Foreman a household name.

All-in-all, Foreman won three heavyweight championship world titles and fought 81 professional boxing matches, 76 of which he won — 68 matches were wins by knockout.

Though Foreman retired from boxing (and came out of retirement) twice, the entrepreneur found success as the face of the George Foreman grill. Since its introduction in 1994, the slanted double-sided grill has sold over 100 million units worldwide.

In addition to this lucrative new career path, Foreman also became a pastor in 1980 and faith and service were major focal points of his later life, with his family calling him a "devout preacher."

Back in 2023, Foreman was the subject of a big screen biopic, with the release of "Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World," in which actor Khris Davis ("Judas and the Black Messiah") portrayed Foreman in his early career.

In a memorial post, ESPN called Foreman, "one of the most influential and recognizable boxers of all-time."

Foreman's last post to Instagram was on Nov. 5, 2024, was a throwback photo from a fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas 30 years earlier. The champion captioned the post: "I started my day believing, "All things are possible if we only believe."

Foreman is survived by wife Mary Joan Martelly, his 12 children and his grandchildren.