George Foreman
George Edward Foreman is an American former professional boxer, entrepreneur, minister and author. As a professional boxer, he was nicknamed "Big George" and competed between 1969 and 1997. He is a two-time world heavyweight champion and an Olympic gold medalist. As an entrepreneur, he is known for the George Foreman Grill.
After a troubled childhood, Foreman took up amateur boxing and won a gold medal in the heavyweight division at the 1968 Summer Olympics. Having turned professional the next year, he won the world heavyweight title with a stunning second-round knockout of then-undefeated Joe Frazier in 1973. He defended the belt twice before suffering his first professional loss, to Muhammad Ali in the iconic Rumble in the Jungle in 1974. Unable to secure another title opportunity, Foreman retired after a loss to Jimmy Young in 1977.
Foreman has been ranked by BoxRec among the world's 10 best heavyweights 17 times, the third most in history, reaching his career-high ranking of No.2 at the conclusion of 1972, 1973 and 1974. His fights against Joe Frazier and Ken Norton in 1973 and 1974 received a 5-Star rating from BoxRec. Foreman has been inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame and International Boxing Hall of Fame. The International Boxing Research Organization rates Foreman as the eighth-greatest heavyweight of all time.[8] In 2002, he was named one of the 25 greatest fighters of the past 80 years by The Ring.[9] The Ring ranked him as the ninth-greatest puncher of all time. He was a ringside analyst for HBO's boxing coverage for 12 years until 2004. Outside boxing, he is a successful entrepreneur and known for his promotion of the George Foreman Grill, which has sold more than 100 million units worldwide. In 1999, he sold the commercial rights to the grill for $138 million.
“They'll take everything, even your tears.”
“To be successful in life, you must get in the habit of turning negatives into positives.”
“The world is full of people who want to play it safe, people who have tremendous potential but never use it. Somewhere deep inside them, they know that they could do more in life, be more, and have more -- if only they were willing to take a few risks.”
“In your business or in your close relationships, if you want people to perform Herculean feats on your behalf, they must know that you care about them.”
“When problems arise, you will usually find two types of people: whiners and winners. Whiners obstruct progress; they spend hours complaining about this point or that, without offering positive solutions. Winners acknowledge the existence of the problem, but they try to offer practical ideas that can help resolve the matter in a manner that is satisfactory to both parties.”
“Many people fail not so much because of their mistakes; they fail because they are afraid to try.”
“As an entrepreneur, don't follow the crowd; let them follow you.”
“You never help others by allowing them to getaway with giving less than their best efforts.”
“Nobody can do everything well, so learn how to delegate responsibility to other winners and then hold them accountable for their decisions.”
“Without appreciation and respect for other people, true leadership becomes ineffective, if not impossible.”
“To succeed in business, you need somebody in your corner who cares enough to challenge you and is courageous enough to tell you the truth, especially when the pressure is on.”
“Don't be afraid to employ people who will force you out of your comfort zone.”
“Filling a need is not merely good business; it's a basic attitude towards life. If you see a need, do whatever you can to meet that need.”
“The best entrepreneurs have found a way to serve others and as a result discover their greatest fulfillment.”