After coming out of his depression from his loss to Muhammad Ali on October 30, 1974, George Foreman returned to the ring the following April 26th. George decided he would take on what were called “The Toronto Five” at the Maple Gardens in Toronto, Canada. The event consisted of him fighting five exhibitions on the same night, and while George won all five fights, no one was impressed and it did little or nothing to restore his image as a top heavyweight.
Nine months later, on January 24, 1976, George met Ron Lyle at the Sports Pavilion at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight was action packed and it saw both men his the canvas a number of times. Finally George cornered Lyle in the ropes late in the fifth round and pounded him to the canvas, ending the fight. The ex-champion had redeemed himself in the eyes of the public by refusing to stay down after hitting the deck and was again a top contender in the heavyweight division.
‘Big George’ followed that victory up with an easy 5th round knockout of Joe Frazier on June 15, 1976 in Uniondale, New York. George said “I wanted to kill Frazier, so I wasn’t happy that I only knocked him out.”
Two months later he stopped Scott LeDoux in the 3rd round in Utica, New York. He finished up the year with another easy knockout of Dino Dennis in Hollywood, Florida on October 15. I remember watching it live on CBS as part of the replay of Ali-Norton III from a few weeks earlier with my brother-in-law, in what would be the last time he came over our house to watch a live sporting event with me.
On March 17, 1977, George fought Jimmy Young in San Juan, Puerto Rico in what would turn out to be the defining fight of his life. After losing a twelve round decision to Young and hitting the canvas, George returned to his dressing room, barely able to stand from the oppressive heat. A few minutes later, he began to feel as if he was going to die, and started negotiating with God to spare his life. Not long after, George began speaking in tongues and shouting “Jesus Christ is coming alive in me! I’m born again! I’m clean!” While his managers blamed his behavior on heat stroke, it was obvious that George Foreman had just experienced a live encounter with God Almighty.
George returned to Texas and after a period of adjusting, reflection and prayer, decided to retire from boxing and become a full time evangelist for the Lord Jesus Christ. For the next 10 years he never even balled a fist in anger, and no one ever expected to see him in the ring again.
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