By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer George Foreman, the fearsome heavyweight who lost the “Rumble in the Jungle” to Muhammad Ali before his inspiring second act as a 45-year-old champion and a successful businessman, died Friday night. He was 76. Related Articles National News | Und er threat from Trump, Columbia University agrees to policy changes National News | Major League Baseball removes references to ‘diversity’ from MLB Careers home page National News | Trump administration cuts legal help for migrant children traveling alone National News | A dump of JFK-related records reveals past CIA secrets but also some personal data National News | Health insurers made $41B the year COVID-19 landed. Why are they raising rates now? Foreman’s family announced his death on social media. “A devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand- and great-grandfather, he lived a life marked by unwavering faith, humility and purpose,” his family wrote. “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.” A native Texan, Foreman began his boxing career as an Olympic gold medalist who inspired fear as he climbed to the peak of the heavyweight division by stopping Joe Frazier in 1973. His formidable aura evaporated only a year later when Ali pulled off one of the most audacious victories in boxing history in Zaire, baiting and taunting Foreman into losing his belt in one of the greatest fights ever staged. Foreman left the sport a few years later, but returned after a 10-year absence and a self-described religious awakening. He then pulled off one of the most spectacular knockouts in boxing history in 1994, flooring Michael Moorer — 19 years his junior — with one perfect combination to claim Moorer’s two heavyweight belts. Foreman’s transformation into an inspirational figure was complete, and he fought only four more times before moving onto his next career as a genial businessman, pitchman and occasional actor. He was best known as the face of the George Foreman Grill, a simple cooking machine which sold more than 100 million units and made him much wealthier than his sport ever did. HAMBURG, GERMANY – OCTOBER 05: Boxen: Privat 2004, Hamburg; George FOREMAN praesentiert bei Saturn seinen Grill; George FOREMAN / ehem. Boxprofi mit seiner ‘ Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine ‘ 05.10.04. (Photo by Cathrin Mueller/Bongarts/Getty Images) “George was a great friend to not only myself, but to my entire family,” Top Rank president Bob Arum said. “We’ve lost a family member and are absolutely devastated.” In the first chapter of his boxing career, Foreman was nothing like the smiling grandfather who hawked his grills on television to great success. Foreman dabbled in petty crime while growing up in Houston’s Fifth Ward, but changed his life through boxing as a teenager. He made the U.S. Olympic team in 1968 and won gold in Mexico City, stopping a 29-year-old opponent in a star-making performance. Foreman rose to the pinnacle of the pro game over the next five years, but was perceived as an aloof, unfriendly athlete, both through his demeanor and through the skewed racial lenses of the time. He stopped Frazier in an upset in Jamaica in January 1973 to win the belt, with his knockout inspiring Howard Cosell’s iconic call: “Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!” FILE – Former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman tells a story to the audience at the Sports Illustrated Legacy Awards, Oct. 1, 2015, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File) 19 Apr 1991: George Foreman raises his arms as he weighs in before the fight against Evander Holyfield at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart /Allsport 12th March 1973: American professional boxer George Foreman, arriving at London Airport. (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images) 12th March 1973: World heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman at a press conference in London. (Photo by Arthur Jones/Evening Standard/Getty Images) FILE – George Foreman yells, Oct. 15, 1974, in N’Sele, Kinshasa, Zaire. (AP Photo/Horst Faas, File) American heavyweight boxer George Foreman, the world heavyweight champion, holds a press conference in London on the first stage of his European tour, UK, 12th March 1973. (Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) FILE – Perspiration flies from the head of George Foreman as he takes a right from challenger Muhammad Ali in the seventh round in the match dubbed Rumble in the Jungle in Kinshasa, Zaire, Oct. 30, 1974. (AP Photo/Ed Kolenovsky, File) 22 Nov 1997: George Foreman receives treatment in his corner during his bout versus Shannon Briggs at Mark Etess Arena in the Taj Mahal Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Briggs won the bout by way of decision after 10 rounds. Mandatory Credit: Al Bell 5 Nov 1994: George Foreman wins a round during a bout against Michael Moorer in Las Vegas, Nevada. Foreman won the fight with a knockout in the tenth round. Mandatory Credit: Al Bello /Allsport 19 Apr 1991: George Foreman throws a left punch at Holyfield during the fight at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Mandatory Credit: Allsport /Allsport NEW YORK – MAY 08: (EXCLUSIVE ACCESS) TV personality George Foreman onstage during the MTV Networks Upfront at the Nokia Theater on May 8, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images for MTV Networks) LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – OCTOBER 20: Former world heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman poses with his trademark grill on October 20, 2006 in London, England. He is in London to celebrate the tenth anniversary of his iconic brand and to officially launch a new fundraising partnership between George Foreman Grills and the British Heart Foundation – with the aim of raising GBP300,000 for the charity. (Photo by Jeremy O’Donnell/Getty Images) HAMBURG, GERMANY – JULY 02: George Foreman poses before the WBC Heavyweight World Championship fight between Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine and David Haye of England at Imtech Arena on July 2, 2011 in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images) 401470 01: Former Heavyweight Champion boxer George Foreman visits with patients at Barlow Respiratory Hospital, a specialty respiratory hospital, as part of the hospitals 100th anniversary celebration February 16, 2002 in Los Angeles, CA. Foreman, whose mother suffered from tuberculosis for many years, supports Barlows mission to help patients lead more independent lifestyles. (Photo by Ron Murray/Getty Images) 379611 05: Ex boxing champ George Foreman poses for photographers October 3, 2000 while promoting his new book “George Foreman’s Big Book of Grilling, Barbecue and Rotisserie” at a Borders book store in New York City. (Photo by George De Sota/Newsmakers) 397652 01: Former world champion boxer George Foreman poses while launching his “Lean, Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine” November 22, 2001 during a press conference in London. (Photo by Anthony Harvey/Getty Images) ATLANTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 12: (L-R) Laila Ali and George Foreman attend the Big George Foreman screening at Regal Atlantic Station on April 12, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Sony Pictures Releasing) ATLANTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 12: George Foreman speaks onstage during the Big George Foreman screening at Regal Atlantic Station on April 12, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Sony Pictures Releasing) Show Caption1 of 18FILE – Former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman tells a story to the audience at the Sports Illustrated Legacy Awards, Oct. 1, 2015, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File) Expand Foreman defended his belt against Ken Norton before accepting the fight with Ali in the now-immortal bout staged in Africa by promoter Don King. Ali put on a tactical masterclass against Foreman, showing off the “rope-a-dope” strategy that frustrated and infuriated the champion. Foreman was eventually knocked down for the first time in his career, and the fight was stopped in the eighth round. Foreman told the BBC in 2014 that he took the fight almost out of charity to Ali, who he suspected to be broke. “I said I was going to go out there and kill him, and people said, ‘Please, don’t say you’re going to kill Muhammad,’” Foreman said. “So I said, ‘OK, I’ll just beat him down to the ground.’ That’s how easy I thought the fight would be.” Exhausted and disillusioned, Foreman stopped fighting in 1977 and largely spent the next decade as a preacher after his religious awakening. He returned to boxing in 1987 in his late 30s, and he racked up a lengthy series of victories before losing to Evander Holyfield in a title fight in 1991. Three years later, Foreman got in the ring with Moorer in Las Vegas. Moorer appeared to win the first nine rounds rather comfortably, with Foreman unable to land his slower punches. But Foreman came alive in the 10th, hurting Moorer before slipping in the short right hand that sent Moorer to the canvas in spectacular fashion. 5 NOV 1994: GEORGE FOREMAN HITS MICHAEL MOORER WITH A RIGHT TONIGHT IN THE EIGHTH ROUND OF THEIR WBA/IBF HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT AT THE MGM GRAND IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. FOREMAN KNOCKED OUT MOORER IN THE 10TH TO WIN THE TITLE. Mandatory Credit: Holly Ste Foreman quit the ring for good in 1997, although he occasionally discussed a comeback. He settled into a life as a boxing analyst for HBO and as a pitchman for the grills that grew his fame and fortune. A biographical movie based on his life was released in 2023. Foreman had 12 children, including five sons who are all famously named George Edward Foreman. “Legendary boxing champion, life-changing preacher, husband, father, grand- and great-grandfather and the best friend you could have,” WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman wrote on social media. “His memory is now eternal, may Big George rest in peace.” AP boxing: https://apnews.com/boxing ...read more read less