tupaview: By George, he did it all

By Mike Tupa
March 24, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT

Few athletes seized the imagination — and the hearts — of the world as did George Foreman.

He joins that rare club of immortals from the realm of athletics — such as Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Roberto Clemente, Knute Rockne, Pele, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Arnold Palmer, Vince Lombardi, Willie Mays and others — whose accomplishments as competitors were amazing but their humanity and personalities were even greater and somehow integrated into the collective human soul.

George Foreman’s death Friday hit me hard in a very unique way.

I was still a relatively young man — at age 31 — when a Nevada newspaper hired me in 1987 for my first full-time newspaper job. During that first week I sat at my little brown wooden desk in the small business office of the Ely Daily Times — my space consisted of a two-sided cubicle nailed into the back wall, with just enough space for my desk and typewriter and some small shelves — when a story came across the wire about Foreman’s comeback in pro boxing.

He was 38 that year — an age that sees most boxers already retired or just hanging on for another payday. Some considered his career revival as a gimmick, a stunt to raise quick cash for his youth center.

No doubt that provided part of the motivation. But I think Foreman didn’t have a good taste in his mouth about his career as a young man. I think he felt he could redeem his reputation and that he still had the tools and the hunger to rise to the top again.

While I battled to overcome a late start in my chosen career, Foreman slowly piled up wins and credibility.

I always felt a parallel there.

No reason to go into a lot of details about Foreman’s ascendancy. 

In the early 1990’s, he rocked world champion Evander Holyfield, but Holyfield hung on to win by decision. Foreman’s performance still impressed many.

At age 45, in 1994, Foreman knocked out 26-year-old Michael Moorer to win the world heavyweight championship (IFB, WBA).

Not too many years later, he stepped away from the ring. Between starring in a TV series or two and appearing on commercials for various products or services — including a grill named for him — Foreman remained in the spotlight.

What was it about this giant of a bare-headed man that endeared the public to him?

Perhaps it’s because of his transformation witnessed through public eyes of his character growth from a troubled youth to a surly, hard-edged and detached young heavyweight champion to a religious and colorful man of good will.

Foreman became living proof that emotional and spiritual metamorphosis are vital and real forces that can affect incredible reformation of outlook and actions.

According to Foreman, in 1977 he felt the redemptive power of Jesus Christ completely fill his being and change his heart.

The change was startling. The perpetual scowl and menacing eyes that had defined him before that experience were replaced by a gregarious smile and gentle facial features.

He went on to become a pastor and to open a youth center for his area.

Now George has moved on to that next world that I’m certain he looked forward to being in.

Meanwhile I remember back to that exciting time we shared, me as a young reporter and photographer finding new adventures and knowledge and confidence every day and him proving dreams never pass a person by if they have enough gumption and faith to make them come true.

Thanks, George.