For George Foremans, boxing a family affair
February 01, 2012 10:48 PM
Nicknames seem to run in the Foreman family.
George Foreman Sr. is most commonly called “The Champ” or “Big George” — for obvious reasons. His son, George IV, is known as “Big Wheel.” And George III? Well, they call him “The Monk” because he has chosen to follow in his father's footsteps and become a boxer, too.
“I got my nickname because my father's nickname at the gym was ‘Monkey,'” George III said. “That's what all his brothers and sisters call him. So they call me ‘Monk' for short.”
George III's decision came as a shock to his father, who said he had no idea that his son wanted to follow that career path.
“I'm real happy about that because he chose boxing himself,” said George Sr. who named all five of his sons George. “As a matter of fact, he's gone through the most important prep schools — middle school and high school — and graduated Rice University. He's a smart human being.
“I had no idea that he had one ounce of ambition to be a boxer. After all of that, he got in the business and did pretty good. The next thing I know, he's in the gym and he wants to be a boxer.”
George III will fight in the main event during the New Legends of Boxing match at the Cocopah Casino on Saturday against David Robinson.
“We are very excited to be hosting the New Legends of Boxing event,” Cocopah Casino assistant marketing manager John Giles said. “Especially to have George Foreman (Sr.) and George Foreman III. This is another chance to showcase to our loyal Yuma fight fans another great exhibition.”
This will be a return trip for George Sr., who spoke in Yuma after winning his gold medal and fought here while making his comeback. But this is George III's first time to the area and he said he has some plans on what he wants to do while here.
“I've heard there's some good hay down there and I need hay for my horses,” George III said. “We had a drought in Texas this year and I've been trying to track down some hay and everyone told me it's in Yuma and a few weeks ago, I found out I'm fighting in Yuma — so it's a good coincidence. I'm going to try to keep my head on my shoulders, after that I can go shopping for some alfalfa.”
George III is off to a perfect start in his boxing career, remaining undefeated with a 14-0 and looking to add another win in his rematch against Robinson.
“This will be my first rematch, fighting a guy that you've been in the ring with, someone who kind of knows you a little bit better than the first time,” George III said.
Boxing wasn't always what George III was serious about. In fact, his whole career is rooted in a challenge from his brothers.
“It all started with my brothers challenging me and telling me I should walk onto the football program at Rice University. I didn't have time at the time, I was managing my father and traveling too much. So the teasing went on and they kept saying I wasn't an athlete so I said, ‘Look, if I have one amateur boxing match, will you guys stop teasing me? Will you shut your trap?' and they said, ‘Yep, that's deal.'
“So I started training and didn't tell anyone. They knew about it, but it was just a big joke, really. I was out in the gym and somehow just fell in love with the sport, but it was still just about one amateur boxing match.”
That one amateur boxing match never materialized as the Foremans had trouble finding anyone who was willing to fight the son of George Foreman. George III went straight into the pros and credits being successful to having the best trainer he can — his own father.
“It's great having a father with so much experience in this sport. If I were in the steel business or agriculture, it doesn't matter what business it is, to have a father with so much experience about something I think is the best type of relationship to improve someone.
“I'm really enjoying it. The only thing is that he works me so hard. He knows me so well so I can't get away with anything — no tricks, no excuses.”
But for George Sr., being on the other side of the ropes has been a stressful experience.
“No. 1, it's his career and when you're guiding someone else's career and you make a mistake it's not like it's going to bother me, it'll bother him,” George Sr. said. “When he gets into the ring, I cannot distinguish whether it's me or him. I feel the same nervous anticipation for him that I did for myself — the butterflies.
“Even the day of the fight or the day before the fight, I'm walking around like ‘Hey, you shouldn't eat this and you shouldn't eat that.' Then I'm like it's not me, it's him. I can't distinguish. It's rough, it's scary and it's nerve-wracking.”
George Sr. said he is already happy with the progress his son has made and that if he keeps it up, he can see another Foreman claiming the Heavyweight Champion of the World title.
“I think he can do it, he's developed a good boxing style — a little more than I did. I was just like the bell would ring and I'd just go out and tear everybody up. He thinks in the ring. I think that if he continues, takes his time and doesn't rush that he can actually be a champion of the world. He'd be right there fighting the best fighters in the world so he'd make a good heavyweight champion.”
That title is exactly what George III is aiming for.
“The biggest thing that's on my mind is right now that America needs a heavyweight champion. There's a lot of guys out there who want to be the one — I just want to be in the conversation of when people talk about who could be the next heavyweight from America to hold that title. … We need to bring the title back home. It needs to be in America.”
Erin Redmond can be reached at eredmond@yumasun.com or at 539-6881. Find her at facebook.com/YSErinRedmond
George Foreman Sr. is most commonly called “The Champ” or “Big George” — for obvious reasons. His son, George IV, is known as “Big Wheel.” And George III? Well, they call him “The Monk” because he has chosen to follow in his father's footsteps and become a boxer, too.
“I got my nickname because my father's nickname at the gym was ‘Monkey,'” George III said. “That's what all his brothers and sisters call him. So they call me ‘Monk' for short.”
George III's decision came as a shock to his father, who said he had no idea that his son wanted to follow that career path.
“I'm real happy about that because he chose boxing himself,” said George Sr. who named all five of his sons George. “As a matter of fact, he's gone through the most important prep schools — middle school and high school — and graduated Rice University. He's a smart human being.
“I had no idea that he had one ounce of ambition to be a boxer. After all of that, he got in the business and did pretty good. The next thing I know, he's in the gym and he wants to be a boxer.”
George III will fight in the main event during the New Legends of Boxing match at the Cocopah Casino on Saturday against David Robinson.
“We are very excited to be hosting the New Legends of Boxing event,” Cocopah Casino assistant marketing manager John Giles said. “Especially to have George Foreman (Sr.) and George Foreman III. This is another chance to showcase to our loyal Yuma fight fans another great exhibition.”
This will be a return trip for George Sr., who spoke in Yuma after winning his gold medal and fought here while making his comeback. But this is George III's first time to the area and he said he has some plans on what he wants to do while here.
“I've heard there's some good hay down there and I need hay for my horses,” George III said. “We had a drought in Texas this year and I've been trying to track down some hay and everyone told me it's in Yuma and a few weeks ago, I found out I'm fighting in Yuma — so it's a good coincidence. I'm going to try to keep my head on my shoulders, after that I can go shopping for some alfalfa.”
George III is off to a perfect start in his boxing career, remaining undefeated with a 14-0 and looking to add another win in his rematch against Robinson.
“This will be my first rematch, fighting a guy that you've been in the ring with, someone who kind of knows you a little bit better than the first time,” George III said.
Boxing wasn't always what George III was serious about. In fact, his whole career is rooted in a challenge from his brothers.
“It all started with my brothers challenging me and telling me I should walk onto the football program at Rice University. I didn't have time at the time, I was managing my father and traveling too much. So the teasing went on and they kept saying I wasn't an athlete so I said, ‘Look, if I have one amateur boxing match, will you guys stop teasing me? Will you shut your trap?' and they said, ‘Yep, that's deal.'
“So I started training and didn't tell anyone. They knew about it, but it was just a big joke, really. I was out in the gym and somehow just fell in love with the sport, but it was still just about one amateur boxing match.”
That one amateur boxing match never materialized as the Foremans had trouble finding anyone who was willing to fight the son of George Foreman. George III went straight into the pros and credits being successful to having the best trainer he can — his own father.
“It's great having a father with so much experience in this sport. If I were in the steel business or agriculture, it doesn't matter what business it is, to have a father with so much experience about something I think is the best type of relationship to improve someone.
“I'm really enjoying it. The only thing is that he works me so hard. He knows me so well so I can't get away with anything — no tricks, no excuses.”
But for George Sr., being on the other side of the ropes has been a stressful experience.
“No. 1, it's his career and when you're guiding someone else's career and you make a mistake it's not like it's going to bother me, it'll bother him,” George Sr. said. “When he gets into the ring, I cannot distinguish whether it's me or him. I feel the same nervous anticipation for him that I did for myself — the butterflies.
“Even the day of the fight or the day before the fight, I'm walking around like ‘Hey, you shouldn't eat this and you shouldn't eat that.' Then I'm like it's not me, it's him. I can't distinguish. It's rough, it's scary and it's nerve-wracking.”
George Sr. said he is already happy with the progress his son has made and that if he keeps it up, he can see another Foreman claiming the Heavyweight Champion of the World title.
“I think he can do it, he's developed a good boxing style — a little more than I did. I was just like the bell would ring and I'd just go out and tear everybody up. He thinks in the ring. I think that if he continues, takes his time and doesn't rush that he can actually be a champion of the world. He'd be right there fighting the best fighters in the world so he'd make a good heavyweight champion.”
That title is exactly what George III is aiming for.
“The biggest thing that's on my mind is right now that America needs a heavyweight champion. There's a lot of guys out there who want to be the one — I just want to be in the conversation of when people talk about who could be the next heavyweight from America to hold that title. … We need to bring the title back home. It needs to be in America.”
Erin Redmond can be reached at eredmond@yumasun.com or at 539-6881. Find her at facebook.com/YSErinRedmond
