George Foremans 10-year break from boxing after loss to Jimmy Young explained

July 2024 · 2 minute read

George Foreman’s 10-year break from boxing allowed him to pursue other interests outside of the ring. It laid the foundation for Foreman’s surprising comeback in the late 1980s, marking a spectacular chapter in his boxing career.

This deliberate hiatus from the sport demonstrated Foreman’s tenacity and determination to develop, ultimately adding to the renowned heavyweight champion’s multidimensional legacy.

Why did George Foreman take a 10-year break from boxing after loss to Jimmy Young?

Following his defeat against Jimmy Young, George Foreman made a critical choice that would change the course of his boxing career: he retired from the sport for ten years.

The defeat against Young, along with previous defeats to Muhammad Ali, Ron Lyle, and Ken Norton, shaped Foreman’s outlook at the time.

During this time, Foreman admitted that he had lost interest in boxing. The succession of difficult matches and losses harmed his reputation as a top heavyweight, diminishing the invincibility that had defined his earlier career.

Foreman’s defeats to Ali in the historic “Rumble in the Jungle” and following losses to Young and Lyle marked a difficult period for him, causing him to reconsider his relationship with the sport.

Importantly, Foreman acknowledged the amassing of wealth as another reason influencing his decision to retire from fighting.

After achieving tremendous financial success during his boxing career, Foreman reached a stage where money was no longer the driving cause behind his engagement in the sport.

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