George Foreman was 28 fights into his comeback from a 10-year absence from the ring, had won 27 times, stopped 25 of his opponents, and failed during his first attempt at winning a heavyweight title.
But Foreman wasn't going to blow his second chance at world championship glory, when he faced southpaw Michael Moorer.
This time, the 45-year-old grandfather and father of nine was ready.
Foreman, 60, talks about his historic accomplishment as well as life after boxing during this, the fourth and final installment of a four-part series detailing how he became boxing's oldest man to win a division's crown.
George Foreman still has fond memories of that night 15 years ago tomorrow, when he stopped Michael Moorer to become boxing's oldest heavyweight champion at the age of 45.
But it took losses to Evander Holyfield and Tommy Morrison to make the aging fighter to leave behind, ever-so-briefly, the commercialism brought on by the notoriety and cross-over appeal of his comeback.
Only then, as Foreman recalls in this, the third installment of a four-part series, could he focus solely on capitalizing for that legendary and historical moment.
With Thursday being the 15th anniversary of his 10th-round knockout of Michael Moorer -- which made him, at age 45, the oldest man to become heavyweight champion -- George Foreman reminisced about his comeback from a 10-year hiatus from boxing.
An evangelist for his non-denominational, Church of Jesus Christ, Foreman, 60, recalls the reaction of his wife, Mary, to the news that he was un-retiring, how trainers such as former light heavyweight champion, Archie Moore and Angelo Dundee, re-structured and modified his style, and how a victory over Steve Zouski began a run of 24 straight wins, including 23 knockouts during this, the second installment of a four-part Q&A series.
For the past few weeks, Angelo Dundee, has busily provided on-site expertise to media members at Tampa's Fight Factory Gym, where WBO champ Miguel Cotto has been in training for his Nov. 14, welterweight clash with Manny Pacquiao.
So it is no surprise that the 88-year-old Hall of Fame trainer wasn't aware that today is the 35th anniversary of Muhammad Ali's eighth-round knockout of George Foreman in "The Rumble In The Jungle" in Kinshasa, Zaire.
In fact, Dundee said that none of the many reporters clamoring for his opinion on Cotto-Pacquiao "has even mentioned it."
See what Dundee had to say about the historic bout during his Q&A after the jump.
George Foreman was not supposed to defend his crown against Muhammad Ali in Africa until Sept. 10, 1974, but New York Post columnist Larry Merchant had arrived in Kinshasa, Zaire, several days prior to what he called "the crush" of other international media members.
"I had actually gone over there earlier in order to write a book about it. I was there for a couple of weeks," said Merchant, now a renowned 78-year-old HBO boxing analyst.
"As a matter of fact, I was in the gym when Foreman was sparring and got the cut," said Merchant. "I believe that I called the [New York] Post and I told them that I thought that the fight would have to be postponed."
TAMPA, Fla. -- With eyes fixated on perspiration-soaked, WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto's workout, Bob Arum surveyed his latest promotional responsibility at The Fight Factory gymnasium like an artist appreciating his most recent piece.
"Miguel is just a fighter with great, great heart," said Arum, whose 42 years in boxing began with the Muhammad Ali victory over George Chuvalo -- his first of 26 fights involving the man many call "The Greatest" -- and included the George Foreman comeback.
FanHouse caught up with Arum on Tuesday during Cotto's training in Florida for his Nov. 14 defense against Manny Pacquiao to discuss the futures of Cotto, Pacquiao, and several other fighters he promotes.
At age 78, boxing promoter Don King is still at it.
The man who brought the world "The Rumble In The Jungle" on Oct. 30, in 1974, featuring Muhammad Ali's dramatic, eighth-round knockout of George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire, will celebrate that event's 35th anniversary on Halloween with the first-ever, boxing event to be held at Las Vegas' Treasure Island.
That's when IBF bantamweight (118 pounds) titlist Joseph Agbeko (27-1, 22 knockouts) will put his crown on the line against Colombia native Yonnhy Perez (19-0, 14 KOs) of Santa Fe Springs, Calif., as part of an event to be televised on Showtime.
"This event at Treasure Island is going to be a great festival. I'm bringing the eighth wonder of the world to Las Vegas, King Kong," said King, referring to the nickname given Agbeko for his ferocity in the ring.
An aging fighter who is approaching 40 years old, Vitali Klitschko said this past week that when the time comes he will truly know when to retire from boxing.
"I'm in great shape, and I am in great form. If I feel that I don't have it left anymore, I will announce my retirement. But not yet," said Klitschko, adding that Saturday night's performance in defense of his heavyweight World Boxing Council championship against Cris Arreola would go a long way toward determining his decision.
George Foreman III, one of the sons of former world heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman, knocked out an overweight human punching bag named Clyde Weaver to win his first professional boxing match on Saturday.
Former heavyweight boxing champ George Foreman is well known for having five sons named George and a daughter named Georgetta. But get a load of this: In an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel, UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Rampage Jackson says all of his kids are named Rampage:
According to Jackson, sons D'Angelo, Raja and Elijah all have the middle name Rampage. Unfortunately, his wife wouldn't allow daughter Naname to have the middle name Rampage, so he just calls her Paige.
A couple of interesting notes from the interview: Jackson was wearing an Affliction T-shirt even though the Affliction clothing line has been banned from UFC events because Affliction is trying to start up its own MMA promotion. I assume UFC President Dana White isn't thrilled about seeing one of his biggest stars giving some free advertising to a competitor.
Also, Jackson denied rumors that he'll be playing 'B.A.' Baracus, the Mr. T character, in an upcoming A-Team movie.
George Foreman was 28 fights into his comeback from a 10-year absence from the ring, had won 27 times, stopped 25 of his opponents, and failed during his first attempt at winning a heavyweight title.
George Foreman
For the past few weeks, 
George Foreman
TAMPA, Fla. -- With eyes fixated on perspiration-soaked, WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto's workout, Bob Arum surveyed his latest promotional responsibility at The Fight Factory gymnasium like an artist appreciating his most recent piece.
At age 78, boxing promoter 
