With Ali’s death, I’m not the same again—George Foreman

Boxing legend,George Foreman  is unstoppable, just as he was while crushing opponents as the king of the division at the age of 24, and still looks like he could cause a few ripples there right now.

He still weighs in at 18st 4lb, which was his fighting weight as world champion, and while his face is furrowed by wrinkles, he still moves – and talks – like a man half his 67 years.

Not that Foreman is oblivious to the passing of time. It is four months since the death of Ali, the fighter whose name will always be associated with Foreman’s, thanks to their unforgettable ‘Rumble In The Jungle’ in Zaire in 1974, the most watched fight of all time, and the mention of his old adversary’s name gives the former champion pause for thought.

“My life will never be complete again because of the passing of Muhammad Ali,” he told bout, that booming voice softened, for once. “The world itself was blessed to have Muhammad Ali. He was like a total eclipse. You only see something like that maybe once in a lifetime. I was able to see a lot of it. The world will mourn for a long time, not so much for the man but for this energetic talent, this piece of art.

“The ‘Great Ones’ live long like that. I’ll admit the most exciting moment in my life as a boxer was meeting him the first time. He was the most exciting human being I’d ever met.”