Jon Jones shares emotional George Foreman tribute after legendary heavyweight champion passes
03/24/2025 12:35 AM
Jon Jones was muted in his tribute to fellow heavyweight champion George Foreman after his passing over the weekend.
Foreman was 76-years-old when he passed away on Friday, having forged a legacy as not just an iconic heavyweight boxing champion but a renowned businessman and preacher. The likes of Mike Tyson and Dana White were quick to pay tribute to Foreman after his passing.
There has been a general sense of mourning in the fight world, and UFC title holder Jones joined the tributes on Sunday night. He didn’t have much to say in terms of a tribute, but shared an emotional video of the boxing icon to fans on social media.
Jon Jones shares emotional George Foreman video after legend’s passing
Aside from his legendary clashes with Muhammad Ali or his status as the oldest heavyweight champion in boxing history, Foreman is well known for his work in the community as a preacher. Jon Jones is also deeply religious, and opted to share that part of Foreman’s life as a tribute on Instagram.
He reposted, without any words of his own, an interview with Foreman in which he discussed his decision to become a preacher after his first boxing run. “I realized I was going to die,” Foreman can be seen saying.
“I said ‘look, I’m still George Foreman, I can still give money to charity and for cancer’. The voice answered me back ‘I don’t want your money, I want you.’ I remember ‘boom’, tears poured, I didn’t get scared.
“I don’t care if this is death, I still believe there is a God. When I said that a gigantic hand reached in and pulled me out of nothingness. I remember saying ‘I’m dying everybody but tell everybody I’m dying for God’.
“I’d been saved from the thing I was most afraid of, death, and I started screaming ‘Jesus Chris has come alive in me’. I jumped off the table, they tried to hold me down and I said ‘I’ve got to go tell the world, I’ve got to go clean myself’.
“I ran in the shower, I started screaming ‘hallelujah I’m clean’, I ran towards the door and they stopped me because I didn’t have any clothes on. I had to tell the world, and I’ve never stopped screaming that to this day.”
George Foreman’s passing at the age of 76 rocks the boxing world
Foreman’s family shared the news over the weekend that the boxing icon had passed away via social media. The news was shared globally and resulted in tributes from all sorts of celebrities and sport stars to one of the greatest heavyweights in history.
“Our hearts are broken,” the statement read. “With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved George Edward Foreman Sr, who peacefully departed on March 21, 2025, surrounded by loved ones.
“A devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand and great grandfather, he lived a life marked by unwavering faith, humility, and purpose. A humanitarian, an Olympian, and two-time heavyweight champion of the world,
“He was deeply respected — a force for good, a man of discipline, conviction, and a protector of his legacy, fighting tirelessly to preserve his good name— for his family.
“We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers, and kindly ask for privacy as we honor the extraordinary life of a man we were blessed to call our own."
