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 only 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 was a general sense of mourning within the fight world, and UFC title holder Jones joined the tributes on Sunday night. He didn’t have much to say by way 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
Apart from his legendary clashes with Muhammad Ali or his status because the oldest heavyweight champion in boxing history, Foreman is well-known for his work in the neighborhood as a preacher. Jon Jones can be deeply religious, and opted to share that a part of Foreman’s life as a tribute on Instagram.
He reposted, with none words of his own, an interview with Foreman through which he discussed his decision to grow to be a preacher after his first boxing run. “I spotted I used to be going to die,” Foreman could 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 need you.’ I remember ‘boom’, tears poured, I didn’t get scared.
“I don’t care if that is death, I still imagine there’s a God. After I said that a huge 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 used to be most afraid of, death, and I began screaming ‘Jesus Chris has come alive in me’. I jumped off the table, they tried to carry me down and I said ‘I’ve got to go tell the world, I’ve got to go clean myself’.
“I ran within the shower, I began screaming ‘hallelujah I’m clean’, I ran towards the door and so they stopped me because I didn’t have any clothes on. I had to inform the world, and I’ve never stopped screaming that to at the present time.”
George Foreman’s passing on 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 varieties of celebrities and sport stars to considered one of the best 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 family members.
“A devout preacher, a faithful 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 person of discipline, conviction, and a protector of his legacy, fighting tirelessly to preserve his good name— for his family.
“We’re grateful for the outpouring of affection and prayers, and kindly ask for privacy as we honor the extraordinary lifetime of a person we were blessed to call our own.”
