Mobile Home | Desktop Version




SPORTS RECORDS 5: GEORGE FOREMAN, THE OLDEST WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 04 Jan 2025




George Foreman won a gold medal in the heavyweight division in the 1968 Mexico Olympics. He turned professional the next year, and won the world heavyweight title with a very impressive second-round knockout of then undefeated Joe Frazier in 1973.

* * *

He defended the belt twice then he got his first professional loss to Muhammad Ali in the legendary Rumble in the Jungle in 1974. When he failed to secure another title opportunity, Foreman retired after losing to Jimmy Young in 1977.

* * *

Ten years later he made a big ring comeback, and in 1994 at age 45 won the unified WBA, IBF, and lineal heavyweight championship titles by stopping the 26-year-old Michael Moorer. He dropped the WBA belt rather than face his mandatory title defense, and after a successful title defense against Axel Schulz, Foreman relinquished his IBF title on June 28, 1995. At 46 years and 169 days old, he became the oldest world heavyweight champion in history.

* * *

Foreman is the oldest boxer to ever win the world heavyweight boxing championship of the major sanctioning bodies and the second-oldest in any weight class after Bernard Hopkins who was champion at light heavyweight. He retired in 1997 at the age of 48, with a final record of 76 wins with 68 knockouts and 5 losses.

* * *

Foreman has been inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame and International Boxing Hall of Fame. The International Boxing Research Organization listed Foreman as the eighth-greatest heavyweight of all time. In 2002, he was included in the 25 greatest fighters of the past 80 years by The Ring. The Ring ranked him as the ninth-greatest puncher of all time.

* * *

Carlos Yulo is the 2024 Olympic gold medalist at the floor exercise and vault events in men's gymnastics. He is the first Filipino and the first male Southeast Asian gymnast to win a medal at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships winning the floor exercise bronze medal in 2018. He also became the first Filipino and Southeast Asian to win a gold medal for the same criteria in 2019 at the same event.

* * *

With multiple medals in the international competition, Yulo is the second person to win an Olympic gold medal for the Philippines, the first person to win multiple Olympic gold medals for the country, and the first Southeast Asian athlete to win multiple gold medals at the Olympic Games.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.

Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • PLANT VS. RESENDIZ & CHARLO VS. LAMANNA FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
    Fri, 30 May 2025
  • Álvarez vs. Crawford: "Champions of Champions"
    By Gary Todd, Fri, 30 May 2025
  • WEIGHTS FROM LAS VEGAS: MELIKUZIEV - 166.8 LBS., FULGHUM - 167.6 LBS.
    Fri, 30 May 2025
  • Former Champion Jaime Munguía Notified of Possible Failed Drug Test
    Fri, 30 May 2025
  • WEIGHTS AND PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES FOR MANUEL GALLEGOS VS. KHALIL COE REMATCH IN GUADALAJARA, MEXICO
    Fri, 30 May 2025
  • Championship Summer: Puerto Rican Star Xander Zayas to Battle Mexico’s Jorge Garcia for WBO Jr. Middleweight Crown July 26 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden LIVE on ESPN
    Fri, 30 May 2025
  • José Sulaimán Honored as New Gym Inaugurated in México State
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, Thu, 29 May 2025
  • Approval of 17 new applications sees membership of World Boxing surpass100 National Federations
    Thu, 29 May 2025
  • SBA Scouting Tour Kicks Off in Cagayan de Oro
    By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 29 May 2025
  • Sampson Boxing Signs Openly Gay South American Boxer Oscar Bonifacino to Promotional Contract
    Thu, 29 May 2025
  • OK-C you in the Finals Soon, Indy or NY; Thunder Oust Minnesota in Five, 124-94
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Thu, 29 May 2025
  • Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimàn: Remembering Don José Sulaimàn
    By Mauricio Sulaimán, Thu, 29 May 2025
  • Manalo’s son Dylan secures victory
    By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 29 May 2025
  • Manny’s induction to proceed
    By Joaquin Henson, Thu, 29 May 2025
  • Hall of Fame Boxing Promoter Don King Wins $1.1 Million Purse Bid To Promote WBA Regular Heavyweight World Champion Kubrat Pulev Facing No. 2 Contender Michael Hunter On August 23
    Thu, 29 May 2025