George Foreman Bio

George Foreman Biography



George Edward Foreman was born on January 10, 1949 in Marshall, Texas. As a product of a poor family he constantly found himself in trouble while growing up in Houston. During his teenage years, he left home and headed for the Job Corps. During this time, the Job Corp was brand new. It began as a part of President Lyndon B Johnson’s “war on poverty”. Young people could go to Job Corps, learn a skill and be able to go home and make a living for themselves.Young George took advantage of this opportunity. He had no idea at the time his decision would drastically change his life. He went to a center in Oregon and only stayed for a limited amount of time before he was moved to a different center in California where he received more advanced training. While there, George met two people who inadvertently changed his life. At the center George met Charles “Doc” Broadus who was in charge of security and the center’s athletic activities. Broadus was one of the people who changed his life. He taught George how to box. He showed him the difference between boxing and fighting. While attending Job Corps, he went as far as the Diamond Belt competition and the renowned Golden Gloves championship. Sadly he lost the championship. In 1967, all this ended when George graduated the Job Corps.

Even though Broadus pleaded with him to go professional, George declined and returned home. After returning to Houston, jobs did not come as easy as he thought. When he could not find a job, he reverted back to his old ways of drinking and fighting. His behavior became so unbearable that his mother contacted Broadus and pleaded with him to simply get him out of there. Broadus sent him a ticket to Oakland immediately.

After moving to Oakland, George trained intensively and went to the Olympic Trials. After attending the Olympic Trials, George earned the spot as the United States Heavyweight boxing representative in the 1968 Olympics. He won the gold medal... [continues]

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