THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 8, 1994 TAG: 9411080007
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 46 lines
George Foreman is 45 years old. He is also an evangelical preacher, founder of an inner-city charity foundation and heavyweight champion of the world.
Twenty years after he lost the world heavyweight title to Muhammad Ali in Zaire, he is back. He now weighs in at about 250 pounds, is a much loved media celebrity and Saturday night became the oldest boxer in any weight category to become champion.
In a sport known for its brutality - see the sad evidence of Muhammad Ali and many others - Foreman has survived and flourished.
Rags to riches. His effervescent spirit is a beacon to anyone in any walk of life, of any age. The reason for his comeback - the Texas parish in which he preached needed money. The reason for continuing his comeback years after people thought he was through, his dreams of being a champion regardless of age.
After not fighting for ten years, Foreman started his remarkable second career in 1988. A joke at first, he was himself one of his only believers. Most thought, at his age, he was more a media personality than boxer. Before Saturday's fight against Michael Moorer, many thought that scheduling the fight was a disgrace to boxing and showed how it was more promotion extravaganza than sport. Foreman was a huge underdog.
But his spirit never abated, before and after fights Foreman was genial, likable and gentlemanly. Even after his losses to Evander Holyfield and Tommy Morrison.
Always one to poke fun at himself, Foreman has starred in a commercial where he jogs from junk-food store to junk-food store, eating all the way, and telling the camera how much running he is getting in between meals.
Shortly after his victory Saturday, Foreman talked of a fight that could be termed ``The Granddaddy of them All,'' a bout with Larry Holmes, also 45. ``If we ever got into the ring together, the smell of Ben-Gay would be so great, nobody would even want a ringside seat,'' Foreman quipped.
An inspiration to young and old alike, Foreman's smashing Saturday triumph cheerful reminder that people are endlessly surprising - and some are very surprising indeed. by CNB