TITLE: In memory of former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman.

SUMMARY: In memory of former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The life of a legendary boxing champion, minister, and businessman drew to a close with the passing of George Foreman on March 21, 2025, at the age of 76; and WHEREAS, George Edward Foreman was born in Marshall on January 10, 1949, the son of J. D. and Nancy Ree Foreman, and he grew up in Houston's Fifth Ward in a family that included six siblings; after becoming involved in petty crime and dropping out of school, he turned his life around by joining the Job Corps at age 16 and taking up boxing shortly thereafter; within a year and a half of first lacing up the gloves, he won the heavyweight division gold medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics; he then entered the pro ranks, fighting as many as a dozen times per year; nicknamed "Big George" for his six-foot, four-inch stature, he possessed fearsome punching power and built an impressive record of 37 wins and 0 losses, including 34 knockouts, before earning a shot at the world title in January 1973; and WHEREAS, Facing undisputed heavyweight champion Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica, Mr. Foreman dominated his opponent from the opening bell, flooring him six times in the span of just one and a half rounds in a bout that was immortalized by broadcaster Howard Cosell's call of "Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!"; claiming the championship belt at age 24, Mr. Foreman went on to successfully defend his title twice before entering the ring against Muhammad Ali on October 30, 1974; billed as "the Rumble in the Jungle" for its location in Kinshasa, Zaire, the fight was one of the most-watched bouts in boxing history; Mr. Foreman was favored, but Ali employed his famous "rope-a-dope" technique and pulled off the upset via a knockout in the eighth round; over the next few years, Mr. Foreman fought six times, winning five of the contests, but after experiencing a spiritual awakening in 1977, he retired from the ring from the first time; and WHEREAS, For the next decade, Mr. Foreman focused on his work as an ordained Christian minister in Houston and started the George Foreman Youth and Community Center in the Aldine area; in 1987, he returned to boxing with the goal of becoming champion again; he reeled off 24 straight wins before dropping a title bout decision to Evander Holyfield in 1991; three years later, he made history when he knocked out defending champion Michael Moorer with a powerful jab-cross combination, becoming, at age 45, the oldest person to win the heavyweight title; he retired from boxing for good in 1997, ending his hall of fame career with a record of 76-5, including 68 knockouts; and WHEREAS, Mr. Foreman launched a second career as a commercial pitchman in 1994, when he began endorsing the George Foreman Grill, a hugely successful product that proved far more lucrative for him than boxing; with his wide smile and gregarious personality, he also appeared in other television ads and programs and briefly starred in the sitcom George in the mid-1990s; a movie based on his life, Big George Foreman,was released in 2023; he is survived by his wife, Mary Joan Martelly, his five sons, all named George, his six daughters, Natalie, Leola, Michi, Georgetta, Isabella, and Courtney, and his 15 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren; and WHEREAS, One of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, George Foreman was beloved for his warmth, humility, and sense of purpose, and his myriad achievements, both in and out of the ring, will continue to be remembered and admired for years to come; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of George Foreman and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of George Foreman. Dutton Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw Alders Guillen Morgan Allen Harless Mu oz Anch a Harris Noble Ashby Harris Davila Olcott Barry Harrison Oliverson Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr Bernal Hernandez Patterson Bhojani Hickland Paul Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso Bowers Holt Perez of Harris Bryant Hopper Phelan Buckley Howard Pierson Bucy Hull Plesa Bumgarner Hunter Raymond Button Isaac Reynolds Cain Johnson Richardson Campos Jones of Dallas Rodr guez Ramos Canales Jones of Harris Romero Capriglione Kerwin Rose Cole King Rosenthal Collier Kitzman Schatzline Cook LaHood Schofield Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft Craddick Lambert Shaheen Cunningham Landgraf Shofner Curry Leach Simmons Darby Leo Wilson Slawson A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico Dorazio Louderback Tepper Dutton Lowe Thompson Dyson Lozano Tinderholt Fairly Lujan Toth Flores Luther Troxclair Frank Manuel Turner G mez Martinez VanDeaver Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell Gates Metcalf Vo Gerdes Meyer Walle Geren Meza Ward Johnson Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton Gonz lez of Dallas Moody Wilson Gonz lez of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 677 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on March 27, 2025. Chief Clerk of the House