Title
Honoring the Life and Legacy of former heavyweight champion "Big" George Foreman
Body
WHEREAS, "Big" George Foreman was born January 10, 1949, in Marshall, Texas to Nancy Foreman, and grew up in poverty in Houston's Fifth Ward; and
WHEREAS, Foreman was a troubled youth, dropping out of school at age 15 to become a mugger before moving to California and joining Jobs Corp to turn his life around, training to become a carpenter and bricklayer; and
WHEREAS, While in Jobs Corp, Foreman's love of football made way for boxing as he took up the sport to demonstrate his bravery to his friends in Jobs Corps. He proved gifted at the sport, and a year and 25 amateur fights later he would capture Olympic gold at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City by knocking out 12-year Lithuanian veteran Jonas Cepulis; and
WHEREAS, Amidst Black Power protests in the United States, and the infamous Black Power salutes by Olympians John Carlos and Tommie Smith on the Olympic podiums just days earlier, Foreman would attract controversy by his waving of a tiny American flag after winning his gold medal. He defended his actions by exclaiming that he wanted the crowd to know he was a proud American, and later stated that he cherished his Olympic medal more than either of his heavyweight titles; and
WHEREAS, Foreman turned pro in 1969, and was fed a steady diet of opponents, racking up a 37-0 record with 34 knockouts by 1972. In January 1973, he received his first shot at the heavyweight title, facing Philadelphia's reigning heavyweight champion "Smokin'" Joe Frazier in the "Sunshine Showdown" at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica; and
WHEREAS, Despite his size and reach, Foreman was a 3:1 underdog to the bobbing and weaving Frazier. However, Foreman would demolish Frazier inside of two rounds to claim his first heavyweight championship, flooring him six times as legendary sportscaster Howard Cossell famously cried "Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!"; and
WHEREAS, Fore...
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