George Foreman considered astonishing SECOND return at 55 years old

[Ruthless-RKO]

World Boxing News 17/03/2020

Former two-time heavyweight champion of the world, ‘Big’ George Foreman has revealed he almost made another return to the ring at 55 years old.

Now 71, the Olympic gold medalist was mulling over whether to lace up his gloves again in 2004. The consideration came seven years after his second official retirement.

Foreman had walked away in 1977 after losses to Muhammad Ali and Jimmy Young before making a remarkable comeback ten years later at 38.

Having knocked everyone and their uncle out for the next seven years, Foreman then became the oldest top division ruler in history against Michael Moorer.

Finally stepping away at the age of 48 in 1997, it was thought the American had completely ended his time in the sport.

Behind the scenes, this wasn’t entirely the case, as Foreman explained.

“Yeah, I was going to make a comeback at the age of 55. I was going to stay out and come back at 55,” Foreman told Jenna J of On The Ropes Radio. “I was in good shape.

“My wife convinced me that I would have to live in that mobile home outside if I ever go back into boxing. I showed her that I could do it. But she said, ‘George isn’t that the way you want to leave the sport? Feeling like you could still do it?’

“I had never considered that. But I said, ‘I could do it!’ and she said, ‘That’s the way you should want to leave’ and I never came back.

“I just forgot it because to wake up every morning feeling like you can still do it is it a thrill. But to have someone beat your brains out and you figure I could never do it.

“I don’t think I ever wanted to wake up like that,” he added.


GEORGE FOREMAN GRILL

In the end, Foreman left the ring on a Hall of Famer standout mark of 76-5, with an unbelievable 68 knockouts.

Going on to be a successful businessman with his ‘George Foreman Grill’, the massive puncher never again looked back.

A commentating career followed too as Foreman used his voice to become one of the best-loved analysts of all time.

[Controversial]

Yeah I seem to recall when he retired the second time he said something about making another comeback when he was older.

[Ambling Alp II]

Foreman (like Archie Moore) is quite a character. You have to take anything he says with a grain of salt.

[Tony1244]

Foreman (like Archie Moore) is quite a character. You have to take anything he says with a grain of salt.

Absolutely. He amused me as an announcer but virtually everything he said about other fighters had everything to do with how much he liked them as people and virtually nothing to do with their ability.

[evrenb]

The fight with Larry Holmes was set for 1999. He was 50 then. I spoke with George back then and he was serious about a comeback. But his wife made him see sense.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

- Don't recall him ever announcing his retirement. After the Briggs farce put boxing in an uproar, he gracefully landed in the middle of his massive grill promotions and revenues. We should all be so fortunate.

Understand there were two proposed Holmes fights by small time promoters that fell out because they couldn't meet George's guarantee, not because of any squelched comeback announcement. See Dempsey/Wills or Chamberlain/Ali.

That announcement was indeed squelched by his wife, thankfully. He probably received piffling fight offers well into his 60s.

[littlepug]

I’ve still got one of his grills that I sometimes use