Big George Foreman: No longer in the ring but not out of the spotlight
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.
The real Rumble in the Jungle as Ali pounces off the ropes to finish Foreman
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.”
Actor Khris Davis plays Foreman. Pic: Sony Pictures
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.”
(R-L) Davis and Forest Whitaker. Pic: Sony Pictures
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.”
Click to subscribe to Backstage wherever you get your podcasts
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
Snoop Dogg becomes co-owner and investor of Swansea football club saying it’s ‘an underdog just like me’
Police are taking no further action over Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury.
Officers said they had investigated “comments about a forthcoming court case made during Kneecap’s performance” at the festival on 28 June.
However, after Crown Prosecution Service advice, they decided there is not enough evidence “to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.
The Avon & Somerset force started investigating the Irish group’s show last month, as well as comments by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.
It said they were looking at a possible public order incident.
Police said on Friday that the investigation into Bob Vylan’s performance was ongoing.
The London duo were widely criticised – and caused a BBC crisis – after leading on-stage chants of “death to the IDF” (Israel Defence Forces).
Kneecap’s Liam Og O Hannaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June. Pic: PA
Kneecap posted a photograph on Instagram, which the group said was an email from police announcing the case was being dropped.
They said their packed Glastonbury gig was a “celebration of love and solidarity” and reporting used “wildly misleading headlines”.
Fears over what Kneecap might do or say during the performance had prompted the BBC not to show it live.
The group said: “Every single person who saw our set knew no law was broken, not even close… yet the police saw fit to publicly announce they were opening an investigation.”
“There is no public apology, they don’t send this to media or post it on police accounts,” they added.
The police statement on Friday said they had informed Kneecap of their decision to drop the case.
Read more from Sky News:
Snoop Dogg becomes a co-owner of Swansea FC
American Idol TV executive and husband shot dead
One of the group’s members appeared in court in June charged with a terror offence.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation in the UK, at a gig last year.
He was released on unconditional bail ahead of a second court appearance in August.
Entertainment
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
Read more from Sky News:
Ticketless Oasis fans blocked from gig
American Idol executive shot dead
Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike