AN opponent was once asked what it felt to be on the receiving end of a punch from former world heavyweight champion George Foreman.
The guy responded: "It is like getting a shot of Novocain. The punch renders you numb."
Indeed, Foreman was one of the hardest punchers to lace on the gloves.
Foreman's pro record speaks for itself: 76 wins, 5 losses with 68 knockouts.
Foreman recently passed away at the age of 76. The story of the former champion is worth sharing.
Foreman was married five times during his lifetime and had 12 children, five of whom are males. He named each son George (i.e., George Jr., George II, George III, and so forth) so they will never forget the name of their father. Growing up in Houston, Foreman had no idea he was the illegitimate son of Leroy Moorehead. The two eventually met and when Moorehead died, Foreman served as the minister for his funeral.
Foreman was bullied as a kid. At age 15, he dropped out of high school and gained notoriety as a street mugger along the Fifth Ward, then one of the most violent neighborhoods in Houston.
Foreman was saved for history when he decided to enroll at the Lyndon B. Johnson Job Corps. It was at the job corps where Foreman met Charles "Doc" Broadus, a boxing trainer. Broadus trained Foreman in the amateurs and guided him to the 1968 Olympic gold medal.
Foreman turned pro in 1969 and immediately earned a reputation as a fearsome puncher by flattening every opponent he faced.
Foreman got to spar with former champ Sonny Liston, an ex-convict and also one of the hardest hitters in the sport. Liston had a reputation as a cold, menacing fighter and Foreman embraced said traits. This all the more made Foreman a fearsome figure in the sport. He hardly talked and stared at opponents like he was going to eat them alive.
Foreman captured the heavyweight title in 1973 by blasting Joe Frazier into smithereens. Frazier had earlier defeated Muhammad Ali and Foreman would later admit that he feared "Smokin' Joe." Well, it did not show in the fight as Foreman knocked down Frazier six times in just two rounds.
A reign of terror was expected, but by October 1974 Foreman was already an ex-champ. In the historic "Rumble in the Jungle," Ali stunned the world by stopping Foreman in eighth rounds.
Foreman's confidence crumbled like a sandcastle. In 1977, after losing to Jimmy Young in Puerto Rico, Foreman hung up the gloves. Foreman claimed he experienced a "religious epiphany" at the dugout and decided to leave the sport to become a preacher.
Foreman founded a church in Houston and also opened a gym where he taught kids boxing to keep them off the streets. When he ran out of money to keep his programs running, Foreman decided to return to boxing in 1987 at age 38 and after a 10-year hiatus.
Foreman was heavily ridiculed for looking way out of shape.
Surprisingly, he took the criticisms in stride. He joked about his massive weight and even used it to promote hamburgers, chickens, etc. He even came up with a barbeque grill that brought him millions of dollars.
The fans welcomed the change in attitude and embraced the new Foreman.
In April 1991, Foreman, who had gone 24-0 with 23 knockouts since returning in 1987, battled Evander Holyfield for the undisputed world heavyweight title. Foreman lost by decision but won the hearts of the fans when he lasted 12 hard rounds with Holyfield.
In November 1994, Foreman stunned the boxing world when he knocked out Michael Moorer in 10 rounds to win the combined WBA/IBF heavyweight crowns. At age 45, Foreman became the oldest boxer to win the heavyweight championship.
Foreman fought until 1997, when he decided to finally call it a day. In his "second career," Foreman was never knocked down and compiled a 31-3 record.
When Ali died in 2016, Foreman became the oldest living former heavyweight champion. Following Foreman's demise, the status passed to former champ Larry Holmes.
Foreman will go down as one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all time. The comeback he made which led to a return to the heavyweight throne some 20 years after he first occupied it, is one for the history books.
Nobody hit like Foreman. When news of his passing came out, it hit boxing fans hard, albeit in a different way. They all found it hard to believe that the boxer nicknamed "Big" George is already gone.
Foreman boasted fearsome power in his glove, but in the end he was well-loved.