Legends from around the sporting world—including Mike Tyson, Charles Barkley, and Magic Johnson—are mourning the loss of champion boxer George Foreman.
The Olympic-winning heavyweight, whose second act saw him become a successful businessman known for the George Foreman Grill, died Friday morning. He was 76.
Barkley, a former NBA star-turned-commentator, said on CBS News Friday night that the news “hurts a lot.”
“I got to know Mr. Foreman a little bit, seeing him at all the boxing matches, and I always picked his brain about trying to be an entrepreneur when your career is over,” Barkley said. “It hurts a lot because he was obviously one of the greatest boxers ever, but just a gentle man, was a pastor. This just hurts.”
Mike Tyson, another heavyweight boxing great, posted a photo of himself with Foreman on X, and wrote, “Condolences to George Foreman’s family. His contribution to boxing and beyond will never be forgotten.”
One-time Los Angeles Lakers superstar Magic Johnson recalled attending many of Foreman’s championship bouts.
“He was a knockout artist in the ring, and it was a pleasure getting to know him not only as a boxer but as a man,” Johnson wrote on X. “After leaving the ring, he turned into an amazing businessman—I even bought one of the first George Foreman grills!”
Foreman, who grew up in Houston, Texas, won an Olympic gold medal at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. He went pro the next year, and won his first title in 1973.
Houston’s mayor, John Whitmire, shared a reflection on what Foreman meant to his home city.
“The world knew Foreman as a two-time heavyweight champion; we knew him as a proud member of our community—a man whose heart was as big as his powerful punch,” Whitmire wrote. “George’s journey from the streets of Fifth Ward to boxing and business success was an inspiration. He never forgot where he came from, and his commitment to our city was constant.”
Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt, who is also from Houston, also praised the boxer, calling him a “true American legend.”
“George Foreman was more than just a two-time heavyweight champion, he was a symbol of strength, resilience, faith, and redemption,” Hunt said. “From the ring to the pulpit, from Olympic gold to entrepreneurial greatness, George Foreman inspired generations with his story of perseverance and grace. Houston watched him rise with strength, humility, and an unshakable belief in God.”
Foreman, who first retired from boxing in 1977, returned to the sport 10 years later and won a heavyweight title at the age of 45. He retired for the final time in 1997, eventually launching his eponymous grill, which sold more than 100 million units.
Beyond the sports world, Say Anything star John Cusack was one of the celebrities who remembered Foreman fondly.
“Beyond a living legend in the ring—just a wonderful spirit, an incredibly kind generous man—in person,” Cusack wrote on X. “I always remember every encounter with great gratitude—it was an honor to know him.”
