Boxing

Jim Lampley Pays Tribute To George Foreman: 'I Loved Him'

Jim Lampley called George Foreman's iconic knockout of Michael Moorer and they were commentators together for HBO Boxing.

Nathaniel Marrero

Jim Lampley
Jim Lampley / IMAGO/ZUMA Press Wire

Few grew closer to George Foreman in the second chapter of his career than Hall of Fame broadcaster Jim Lampley.

Lampley gave an empowering tribute of Foreman after he passed away on Friday at 76 years old.

"Tonight I am flooded with tears after learning of the death of my dear friend and broadcast partner George Foreman," Lampley said via press release. 

"I loved him. He was a great fighter and a far, far greater human being.  Every great thing that ever happened to him, and there were many extraordinary blessings, was richly deserved. My thoughts and prayers tonight are with his family and his friends and his congregation. It’s a massive loss, but I feel blessed and privileged to have known him and spent countless hours in his presence. He’s with Ali now, and they are at peace with each other." 

Lampley and Foreman worked together on numerous HBO Boxing broadcasts, though, no moment between the two is as synonymous as the one they shared on Nov. 5, 1994, when Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer to become the oldest heavyweight champion in boxing history at 45 years old.

Moorer was the undefeated and unified heavyweight champion, and Lampley struggled to see a path to victory for Foreman. Lampley said on The Ariel Helwani Show that he talked to his broadcast partner whenever he had a chance to try and see what he was thinking heading into the fight against Moorer.

"George said to me, might have been three times, might have been four times, might have been six, but the words were always the same," Lampley emotionally said. "Jim, you watch there will come a moment late in the fight when he will come and stand in front of me and let me knock him out.'"

MORE: George Foreman Once Named The Best Heavyweight Boxer Of All Time And It Wasn't Muhammad Ali

Lampley's doubts were well warranted for most of the fight.

Moorer was in control throughout as he peppered Foreman with jabs and straight left hands. Moorer was well on his way to notching a clear decision victory and thwarting Foreman's chance at becoming the heavyweight champion for a second time.

Then, as Lampley put it, it happened.

In the 10th round, Foreman caught him with a jab and straight right hand, which sent Moorer crumbling to the canvas. Referee Joe Cortez counted to 10, and in that moment, Lampley wasn't just speaking to the audience who had witnessed it, he was speaking to Foreman.

"It happened," Lampley proclaimed. "It happened."

To this day, Lampley says his call of Foreman's knockout is the best call of his legendary career.

"I was talking to George," Lampley said. "What happened was what he had told me had happened. Definitely my best call. Definitely the most appropriate way to button a prize fight that I've ever come up with in my career."

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Nathaniel Marrero
NATHANIEL MARRERO

Nathaniel Marrero is a writer for the Boxing, Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Ravens On SI sites. He's also written for the Orlando Sentinel and MLB.com, and was a part of UCF's sports show, Hitting The Field. He attended UCF and graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 2023. Twitter/X: Nate_Marrero