Heavyweight boxing legend dies aged 76, says family

Boxing heavyweight legend George Foreman has died aged 76, according to his family.

Foreman, known as Big George in the ring, competed for decades starting in the 1960s, winning gold at the Olympics and numerous title belts – including the world heavyweight title twice.

His first professional loss came to another icon: Muhammad Ali in an iconic 1974 fight.

“Our hearts are broken,” his family said in a statement posted on Instagram. “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.”

While he was a household name in his athletic career, Foreman also became well-known for his iconic George Foreman Grill, which millions have purchased over the decades since it hit the market in 1994.

Foreman has a dozen children, many of whom he named “George”.

He explained on his website that he named them after him so they “they would always have something in common”.

“I say to them, ‘If one of us goes up, then we all go up together,” he explained. “And if one goes down, we all go down together!'”