One of George Foreman’s biggest rivals paid an emotional tribute to the heavyweight legend after his passing.
The boxing world continues to grapple with the loss of one of its biggest icons, George Foreman, after the 76-year-old’s passing last weekend at a Houston, TX hospital.
Top names like Mike Tyson, Teddy Atlas, and Evander Holyfield have spoken out in tribute to Foreman in recent days. Foreman is considered by many to be one of the greatest heavyweight combatants of all time and was a force to be reckoned with late into his career.
One of Foreman’s signature wins came against Michael Moorer in 1994, as he became the oldest heavyweight champion by knocking out the up-and-coming star. Three decades after their heated rivalry, Moorer and Foreman’s relationship took a cordial turn in recent years.
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Michael Moorer pays emotional tribute to former rival George Foreman
During a recent interview with Ring Magazine, Moorer reacted to Foreman’s passing and what he’ll remember the most about the fallen legend.
“He was a very honorable, exceptional, religious, and spiritual man,” Moorer said of Foreman. “He was an influential man that people listened to and understood. He was a good influencer for boxers. He spoke very well and understood the game. They took note of what he had to say, and I’m one of them.
“I’m very grateful that I was able to be in the presence of Big George Foreman. His legacy will continue to grow through his kids.”
Moorer was then asked about his most recent conversation with Foreman before his passing.
“We talked about how good of a fight it was,” Moorer shared. “Remembering all of the conversations we had is going to be important to me … It doesn’t bother me to [frequently reflect about the fight]. I was riding high in 1994 as the heavyweight champion of the world.
“I felt invincible and I was on top of my game. I was at a point in my life that every boxer wished they could be. The mindset was, ‘I ain’t letting this old dude whip my a–. It wasn’t going to happen.”
Unfortunately for Moorer, Foreman overcame a sluggish start to knock out Moorer in the championship rounds. It was an incredible bounceback for Foreman after a loss to Tommy Morrison led many to count him out.
George Foreman’s death continues to rock the boxing world
Foreman’s final victory came by split decision over Lou Savarese in 1997, before a controversial loss to Shannon Briggs in his retirement fight. Before the loss to Briggs, Foreman won four consecutive fights despite being well into his 40s.
As of this writing, Foreman’s cause of death hasn’t been revealed, but he dealt with several health issues in recent years.
Foreman showed that heavyweights can still dominate well past their physical prime, leading to the rise of top fighters like Lennox Lewis and Tyson Fury. While Foreman’s gone, he’ll never be forgotten.