BELTON—As an Olympic gold medalist and two-time heavyweight boxing champion, George Foreman understands what victory means. But a near-death experience led to his greatest triumph, when he found faith in Christ, he told an audience at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.
Delivering the McLane Lecture in the Frank and Sue Mayborn Campus Center arena March 22, Foreman recalled the day he told his life story to his son.
“I realized that I’d raised a nice boy, but he didn’t know anything about me,” Foreman said. “So, I took him on a long ride and told him my story.”
Troubled youth
As a boy, Foreman skipped school most days, he said. Years later, after dropping out of school, he fell in with some young men from his neighborhood who tended to get in trouble.
After an evening spent evading police, Foreman decided he needed to change his life. He applied to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps program. During his tenure with the program, Foreman first considered trying boxing.
“One night, I was in the Job Corps center, and a boxing match came on the radio, and after the fight was over, the kids said: ‘George, you think you’re so big and tough. Why don’t you become a boxer?” he recalled.
‘A dream had come true’
Taking up the challenge, Foreman transferred to California, where he began training for the boxing ring. A year later, Foreman competed as part of the 1968 Olympic team in Mexico City, where he ultimately won the gold medal.
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George Foreman shared his larger-than-life story when he delivered the McLane Lecture in the Frank and Sue Mayborn Campus Center arena at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.“That was probably the happiest moment I’ve ever had as an athlete,” Foreman said. “For the first time in my life, a dream had come true.”
Following his success at the Olympics, Foreman entered professional competition.
“One fight after another, I had these knockouts, one after another,” Foreman said. “Then finally, they wanted to match me for the heavyweight championship of the world.”
Foreman was reluctant to fight for the title, he acknowledged, since then-champ Joe Frazier was one of the most intimidating fighters in history.
“They said Joe Frazier was the kind of fellow who, if you hit him, he liked it,” Foreman remembered. “If you missed him, he got upset.”
Foreman went on to overwhelm Frazier, knocking him down six times in two rounds before being declared the winner and new heavyweight champion.
Foreman also recounted his epic 1974 bout with Muhammad Ali in Zaire, touted as “The Rumble in the Jungle.” Foreman was winning the fight for several rounds before he tired, and Ali knocked him out before the end of the eighth round.
“Have you ever heard of a rope-a-dope? Well, meet the dope,” he said, pointing to himself. “When I lost that match, it was the first time I was ever faced with devastation.”
Life-changing experience
Foreman discussed several other fights—some he won and others he lost—before he told a story about the night he lost a close 12-round decision in Puerto Rico and nearly died in his locker room after the match.
He described the near-death experience as the moment when he found his faith in God.
A near-death experience led George Foreman to faith in Christ.“I jumped off the table and said, ‘Jesus Christ is coming alive in me,’” Foreman said. “I screamed: ‘Hallelujah! I’m clean. I’m born again.’”
Following this experience, Foreman quit the ring and spent 10 years working as an evangelist. Ultimately, he returned to boxing to support his family and his gospel ministry.
In 1994, Foreman challenged Michael Moorer for the world championship. Foreman, then 45 years old, trailed Moorer nine rounds. However, in the 10th round, Foreman landed a knockout punch and became the oldest heavyweight champion in history.
Foreman closed his lecture with words of advice for students.
“All of you have got the world right in your palms now. Learn all you can,” Foreman said. “Your life is before you, and you can do whatever you want, but believe God and put him first.”
The McLane Lecture brings internationally recognized speakers to UMHB each year to present their experiences and insights about leadership, government and business. The annual lecture is made possible by the gifts of Temple residents Elizabeth and Drayton McLane Jr.
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