“Big George Foreman Movie: Heart of a Champion” is a remarkable, true-life, faith-based film that changes people’s perspectives on what is possible. This film gives viewers a heartwarming tale of how, with faith, a person can go from rags to riches.
The movie begins by showing the trials and tribulations that George Foreman overcame throughout his childhood. From poverty to bullying, Foreman’s story has it all. He was born on Jan. 10, 1949, to J.D. and Nancy Foreman.
Growing up impoverished in Houston, Foreman began to harbor great resentment and anger. Oftentimes, he would bully younger children and had a disdain for having to wake up early for school. By the age of 15, Foreman became a brawler and mugger on the rough streets of Houston’s Fifth Ward.
George Foreman’s Saving Grace
George was no stranger to the local law enforcement as he was constantly getting into trouble. His saving grace came in the form of Lyndon B. Johnson Job Corps. This program was founded to help disadvantaged youth by teaching them vocational job skills.
The troubled young Foreman traveled to California where he met a Job Corps counselor and boxing coach, Doc Broaddus. It was he who encouraged George to trade thugging for boxing.
Once in the ring, George Foreman proved to be an impressive amateur boxer. Less than three years later, he brought home a gold medal. He competed in the heavyweight boxing competition during the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. From there his boxing career bloomed.
Big George Foreman
In 1969, George Foreman officially became a professional boxer, under the guidance of veteran trainer Dick Saddler. Within two years he was ranked the number one challenger by the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council. George Foreman had a perfect 37-0 record which included 35 knockouts by 1972.
His first shot at the coveted world heavyweight championship belt came on Jan. 22, 1973, in Kingston, Jamaica. In this bout, he went against Joe Frazier, who was favored to win going into the fight. However, Foreman knocked Fraizer down and was en route to a second knockout when he won the match.
Additionally, people at home were able to watch George Foreman win the heavyweight championship via HBO Boxing’s first-ever broadcast. After which, Foreman was able to successfully defend his title twice. He defeated Puerto Rican heavyweight champion Jose Roman in 50 seconds. At that time, it was the shortest heavyweight championship bout ever. Furthermore, he won against his opponent, Ken Norton, who had just defeated Muhammad Ali in a matter of two rounds.
One of the Most Famous Bouts in History
Those two matches set George Foreman up for one of the most famous fights in history: “The Rumble in the Jungle.” During this bout, Foreman went up against the man who floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee, Muhammad Ali.
After eight rounds, and being worn down by Ali’s “rope-a-dope,” George Foreman was spent. He threw hundreds of punches during the match. However, in the eighth round, Ali unleashed a series of punches knocking George out. This allowed Ali to regain the heavyweight champion of the world title.
Foreman Becomes Enlightened
After a short stint of not boxing, Foreman returned to the ring to win five consecutive matches. All of which were won by knockouts. However, on March 17, 1977, in a twist of fate, he took a new lease on life.
During a match held in Puerto Rico, George Foreman lost in a decision to Jimmy Young. While in his dressing room, Foreman had a life-altering experience that left him enlightened. The man who once did not believe in God became a full fledge believer in a matter of seconds.
Moreover, after the religious experience that changed his life forever, Foreman became a born-again Christian vowing never to box again.
Spreading the Word of God
In 1978, he became ordained and began preaching in his hometown. Two years later, he founded The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. In 1984, he founded the George Foreman Youth and Community Center. It is a non-denominational space for youth who need direction like he once did.
However, the Center began to run out of funds by the mid-1980s. Moreover, those around George Foreman were advising him to shut down the Youth and Community Center. Yet, he saw how much the facility was helping, so he was determined to keep it open.
Therefore, he knew he needed to make money to keep the Youth Center open. Which meant he was going to turn back to the thing he knew best, boxing.
George Foreman Returns to the Ring
After a decade, Foreman stepped back into the ring. Despite all the naysayers, George Foreman proved he was still a fighter. Immediately, he began piling up wins. In fact, he won 24 consecutive bouts. Of which, 22 matches ended in knockouts.
These wins earned him a chance to face Evander Holyfield, who held the heavyweight title and was unbeaten. The bout went a full 12 rounds with Holyfield winning in the end. Even though George Foreman lost the match, he gained major credibility.
Foreman didn’t take the loss as a sign to give up on boxing. On Nov. 5. 1994, at the age of 45, he took on Michael Moorer, the new heavyweight champion, and won in the 10th round. This made him the oldest fighter to ever win the heavyweight crown. After defending his titles against Axel Schult, and a refusal of a rematch, George Foreman gave away his titles.
Marketing Firm for ‘Big George Foreman Movie: Heart of a Champion’
D3 Entertainment, a Black family-owned marketing firm based out of Nashville, Tennessee, has been an instrumental tool in getting the word out about this movie.
Michelle Duffie is the company’s CEO. Kelvis Clyde Duffie is their President and Kendall Duffie is the Vice President. D3 Entertainment has been in business for 15 years.
Since the founding, they “have marketed many top films over the years including ‘War Room,’ ‘King Richard,’ ‘The Shack,’ and many more,” states Kendall.
Touching the Hearts of the Viewers
D3 Entertainment held a few prescreening venues, allowing a select few to see “Big George Foreman” before it hits theaters on April 28. One lucky spectator, Maria Brown, expressed to the Chicago Leader how the film made her feel.
“I first would like to say the story was done very well. It depicted his life very well. Not only in a negative aspect but a positive one as well,” stated Brown. She then explained how her daughter saw the film too. Brown stated her daughter was “not a religious person.” However, after seeing the struggles and positive outcomes of George Foreman’s movie she has been changed. Adding that her daughter walked in a nonbeliever and came out “finding God.”
Senior Pastor of Triedstone Church of Chicago, Bishop Simon Gordon, brought a few local Pastors with him to prescreen the movie. Bishop Gordon stated the film made “a lot of good points.”
Whenever a person finds God in their life, they find victory at the same time.
“Big George Foreman” is a great example of what a little bit of faith, mixed with perseverance and persistence can do. “If you never give up you always give yourself a chance to succeed,” added Bishop Gordon.
Life is a journey of learning. When you stop learning, you stop living.
“Big George Foreman Movie: Heart of a Champion” will be in theaters nationwide on April 28. People can go to their local movie theaters or biggeorgeforeman.movie to purchase their tickets.
By Sheena Robertson
Sources:
Interview: Kendall Duffie D3 Entertainment VP on 4/19
Big George Foreman: Prescreening 4/19
Interview: Maria Brown on 4/19
Interview: Bishop Simon Gordon on 4/20
IMDb: George Foreman
The Official Website of George Forman: Meet George Biography
Britannica: George Foreman
Featured and First Inset Image Courtesy of D3 Entertainment
Second Inset Image Courtesy of Gage Skidmore‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
