Recently we brought you part one of this list of facts about George Foreman, the gold medal winning American boxer. We learned that he came from humble and troubled beginnings and originally went into boxing as a way to lose weight. Here’s part two of our list of facts about this remarkable man.
Number Eight: Muhammad Ali’s Bravery Surprised Him
When the two went into the ring together, George wasn’t sure what to expect. After the fight, he said that he had never encountered someone that brave in his life, before or after that fight.
Number Seven: Ali Wouldn’t Allow a Re-Match
Although Foreman desperate wanted to rematch Muhammad and tried a lot to make it happen, Ali wasn’t having it. He refused to fight George Foreman again.
Number Six: The Toughest Fight He Ever Had
Ron Lyle was his opponent in the hardest fight he ever fought in. While he claims that his match with Muhammad Ali didn’t hurt him much, he was genuinely hurting in the fight with Lyle.
Number Five: His Experiences as a Preacher
He saw two doors to the world of preaching, the first one that you entered as a rich and famous person, and the back door you exited from as a preacher on the street. He cut off all his hair and shaved so that no one would recognize him.
Number Four: Ripped Off By His Own Accountants
George Foreman has confessed in interviews that he had discovered accountants taking money out of his bank accounts. He was unaware of people of his stature being taken advantage of, which left him susceptible to these crimes.
Number Three: He Returned to Boxing to Fund His Youth Center
He retired from the world of boxing, and later on, he discovered that he didn’t have enough money to fund his new pursuits. For this reason, he took to the ring again.
Number Two: George Foreman Considers Acting More Work Than Boxing
Foreman had plans to become an actor and was given a television series. The job was a lot more work than he originally assumed, however, and didn’t last long.
Number One: His Wife Convinced Him to Leave Boxing
He wanted to continue since he felt as though he could still do it, but his wife convinced him that that was the best way to leave the sport, feeling as though you could still do it. We hope you enjoyed part two!