Big George Foreman: No longer in the ring but not out of the spotlight

Published

2 years ago

April 25, 2023

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Heavyweight champion, Christian minister, Olympic champion, and businessman – for seven decades George Foreman has delivered knockout blows in and out of the ring.

Nicknamed “Big George,” the Olympic Gold medallist is one of boxing’s most famous champions, known as one of the most fearsome punchers of all time.

And now Foreman is back in the spotlight in a new biopic about his life, from growing up in 1950s Texas to becoming the oldest heavyweight champion of the world.

Asked about his infamous 1974 fight against Muhammad Ali dubbed “Rumble In The Jungle”, the boxer told Sky News it was “real painful to watch” but said his defeat led the pair to become the “best of friends”.

Held in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), 25-year-old Foreman was favourite to beat Muhammad Ali, who was then 32, having won 40 of his previous fights without defeat.

Speaking about the fight, Foreman, 74, said: “I watched it for a little while, it was real painful to watch. Then I’d watch it because I started teaching other boxers about boxing techniques. I watched because it became something that I had in common with the great Muhammad Ali, we became the best of friends”.

At 6ft 4ins and known for his devastating punches, “Big George” had Ali on the ropes in the early rounds but “The Greatest” refused to go down. It was in the eighth round that Ali won by knockout.

Not only was it Foreman’s first defeat as a professional, it was the first time he had hit the canvas in his career.

Foreman recalls: “I was shocked after three rounds and he [Ali] was still on his feet. He would talk about all of his exploits, but he didn’t want to bring up beating me. I’d say ‘yeah, you defeated me’. I still miss him today. Somehow, he still stays alive in me.”

Entering the ring to the crowd chanting “Ali, bomaye” translating to “Ali, kill him,” Foreman says he was aware of the chanting but remained unfazed by the hostile crowd.

“Oh yeah, that didn’t bother me. I was the bad guy because I was knocking out everybody and I wanted to knock him out as well. So, it doesn’t matter what people scream, it was what I was gonna do in the ring.”

Actor Khris Davis, who plays George Foreman in the film described the former Olympic champion as an inspiration.

“I encountered a lot of challenging moments during this film, and he encountered a lot of challenging moments during his life. Mr Foreman had to meet his challenges face to face.

“So, as I was doing this, I was seeing how far I could be pushed, and what I could do to overcome those challenges. So, I think moving forward in my life, I’ll always hold that with me.”

After a 10-year hiatus from the sport, struggling financially and spiritually, 45-year-old George Foreman made history by reclaiming his title, becoming the oldest World Heavyweight Boxing Champion ever.

Retiring in 1997, his successful career was recognised in 2003 when he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Director of the film George Tillman Junior says George Foreman’s life story can be a message to young Americans who may have been written off.

“The idea that you can really put your mind to it and get to where you want to be. And forget the clichés – let’s talk about the subtext, you could change your mindset and be different in how you do things.

“You can do it in a way that can be helpful for yourself or helpful for others. And I think that’s the inspiring story that people will be able to take away.”

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Outside of the ring, Foreman who has 12 children including five boys all named George, is known for the kitchen gadget the George Foreman grill.

On whether he still owns one he laughs saying: “How many of them do I own? You know because George doesn’t like meat so he has to have his private grill but George loves hot dogs and then George loves hamburger you got all these George’s for all of these grills it gets out of hand.”

Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World is in cinemas on Friday 28 April.

Entertainment

Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia talked about modern masculinity before Gen Z was born

Published

2 days ago

April 5, 2025

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Pete Townshend's Quadrophenia talked about modern masculinity before Gen Z was born

Despite The Who’s Quadrophenia being set over 60 years ago, Pete Townshend’s themes of identity, mental health, and modern masculinity are just as relevant today.

The album is having a renaissance as Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia A Mod ballet is being brought to life via dance at Sadler’s Wells East, and Sky News has an exclusive first look.

As Townshend puts it, the album he wrote is “perfect” for the stage.

“My wife Rachel did the orchestration for me, and as soon as I heard it I said to her it would make a fabulous ballet and we never really let that go,” he tells Sky News.

“Heavy percussion, concussive sequences. They’re explosive moments. They’re also romantic movement moments.”

If you identify with the demographics of Millennial, Gen Y or Gen Z, you might not be familiar with The Who and Mod culture.

But in post-war Britain the Mods were a cultural phenomenon characterised by fashion, music, and of course, scooters. The young rebels were seen as a counter-culture to the establishment and The Who, with Roger Daltry’s lead vocals and Pete Townshend’s writing, were the soundtrack.

Quadrophenia the album is widely regarded as an essay on the British adolescent experience at the time, focusing on the life of fictional protagonist Jimmy – a young Mod struggling with his sanity, self-doubt, and alienation. 

Townshend sets the rock opera in 1965 but thinks its themes of identity, mental health, and modern masculinity are just as relevant today.

He says: “The phobias and the restrictions and the unwritten laws about how young men should behave. The ground that they broke, that we broke because I was a part of it.

“Men were letting go of [the] wartime-related, uniform-related stance that if I wear this kind of outfit it makes me look like a man.”

This struggle of modern masculinity and identity appears to be echoing today as manosphere influencers like Andrew Tate, incel culture, and Netflix’s Adolescence make headlines.

For dancer Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy, the story resonates.

“I think there’s a connection massively and I think there may even be a little more revival in some way,” he tells Sky News.

“I love that myself. I love non-conforming to gender norms and typical masculinity; I think it’s great to challenge things.”

Despite the album being written before he was born, the dancer says he was familiar with the genre already.

“I actually did an art GCSE project about Mods and rockers and Quadrophenia,” he says.

“I think we’ll be able to bring it to new audiences and hopefully, maybe people will be inspired to to learn more about their music and the whole cultural movement of the early 60s.”

In 1979, the album was adapted into a film directed by Franc Roddam starring Ray Winstone and Sting but Townshend admits because the film missed key points he is “not a big fan”.

“What it turned out to be in the movie was a story about culture, about social scenario and less about really the specifics of mental illness and how that affects young people,” he adds, also complimenting Roddam’s writing for the film.

Perhaps a testament to Pete Townshend’s creativity, Quadrophenia started as an album, was successfully adapted to film and now it will hit the stage as a contemporary ballet.

It appears that over six decades later Mod culture is still cool and their issues still relatable.

Quadrophenia, a Mod Ballet will tour to Plymouth Theatre Royal from 28 May to 1 June 2025, Edinburgh Festival Theatre from 10 to 14 June 2025 and the Mayflower, Southampton from 18 to 21 June 2025 before having its official opening at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London on 24 June running to 13 July 2025 and then visiting The Lowry, Salford from 15 to 19 July 2025.

Entertainment

Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault

Published

2 days ago

April 4, 2025

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Russell Brand has been charged with rape and two counts of sexual assault between 1999 and 2005.

The Metropolitan Police say the 50-year-old comedian, actor and author has also been charged with one count of oral rape and one count of indecent assault.

The charges relate to four women.

He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday 2 May.

Police have said Brand is accused of raping a woman in the Bournemouth area in 1999 and indecently assaulting a woman in the Westminster area of London in 2001.

He is also accused of orally raping and sexually assaulting a woman in Westminster in 2004.

The fourth charge alleges that a woman was sexually assaulted in Westminster between 2004 and 2005.

Police began investigating Brand, from Oxfordshire, in September 2023 after receiving a number of allegations.

The comedian has denied the accusations and said he has “never engaged in non-consensual activity”.

He added in a video on X: “Of course, I am now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.”

Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.

“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police.”

Entertainment

Tom Cruise leads moment of silence in tribute to ‘dear friend’ Val Kilmer

Published

3 days ago

April 3, 2025

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Tom Cruise leads moment of silence in tribute to 'dear friend' Val Kilmer

Tom Cruise has paid tribute to Val Kilmer, wishing his Top Gun co-star “well on the next journey”.

Cruise, speaking at the CinemaCon film event in Las Vegas on Thursday, asked for a moment’s silence to reflect on the “wonderful” times shared with the star, whom he called a “dear friend”.

Kilmer, who died of pneumonia on Tuesday aged 65, rocketed to fame starring alongside Cruise in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, playing Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky, a rival fighter pilot to Cruise’s character Maverick.

His last part was a cameo role in the 2022 blockbuster sequel Top Gun: Maverick.

Cruise, on stage at Caesars Palace on Thursday, said: “I’d like to honour a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer. I can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honoured I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick.

“I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us. Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him.

“I wish you well on the next journey.”

The moment of silence followed a string of tributes from Hollywood figures including Cher, Francis Ford Coppola, Antonio Banderas and Michelle Monaghan.

Kilmer’s daughter Mercedes told the New York Times on Wednesday that the actor had died from pneumonia.

Diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, Kilmer discussed his illness and recovery in his 2020 memoir Your Huckleberry and Amazon Prime documentary Val.

He underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments for the disease and also had a tracheostomy which damaged his vocal cords and permanently gave him a raspy speaking voice.

Kilmer played Batman in the 1995 film Batman Forever and received critical acclaim for his portrayal of rock singer Jim Morrison in the 1991 movie The Doors.

He also starred in True Romance and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, as well as playing criminal Chris Shiherlis in Michael Mann’s 1995 movie Heat and Doc Holliday in the 1993 film Tombstone.

In 1988 he married British actress Joanne Whalley, whom he met while working on fantasy adventure Willow.

The couple had two children before divorcing in 1996.