Heavyweight boxing legend George Foreman die at di age of 76

Boxing heavyweight legend George Foreman don die at di aged of 76.

Di American wey dem sabi as Big George in di ring, bin build one of di most remarkable and enduring careers in di sport, winning Olympic gold for 1968 and claiming di world heavyweight title twice, 21 years apart - di second one make am di oldest champion in history at di age of 45.

E bin lose im first title to Muhammad Ali in dia famous Rumble in di Jungle fight for 1974. But overall, e get astonishing total of 76 wins including 68 knockouts, almost double dat of Ali.

Foreman retire for 1997 but not bifor im agree to put im name to a best-selling grill - a decision wey go on to bring am fortunes wey outweigh im boxing earnings.

Im family tok for one post on Instagram on Friday night: "Our hearts dey broken. A devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand and great grandfather, e bin live a life marked by unwavering faith, humility, and purpose."

Di statement add: "A humanitarian, an Olympian, and two time heavyweight champion of di world, E bin dey deeply respected - a force for good, a man of discipline, conviction, and a protector of im legacy, wey fight tirelessly to preserve im good name - for im family."

Tributes bin pour in from odas across di sport - former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson say Foreman "contribution to boxing and beyond no go ever dey forgotten".

Di Ring magazine, often dubbed di Bible of Boxing, describe am as "one of di greatest heavyweights of all time".

"[E] go dey remembered as icon of di sport forever."

Dem born Foreman for Marshall, Texas, on 10 January 1949, and single mother raise am along wit six siblings in di segregated American South.

Im bin drop out of school and turn to street robberies bifor e eventually find im outlet in di ring.

Foreman bin win di heavyweight gold medal for di 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, at dI age of 19, bifor e turn pro and win 37 matches back to back. E bin lose only five bouts over im career.

E bin beat Joe Frazier wey bin dey reign undefeated bifor for champion for Kingston, Jamaica, for 1973 - e knock am down six times for di first two rounds.

Im 1974 Rumble in di Jungle against Ali for Kinshasa, Zaire, now di Democratic Republic of di Congo, still be one of di most famous boxing matches ever.

Ali, di older man, be di underdog afta e dey stripped off im crown seven years earlier sake of say e no gree make dem draft am into di Vietnam War.

Foreman bin reflect on di legendary fight 50 years later for one October interview wit BBC World Service Newshour - e explain say evri one bin tink say e go deatroy Ali.

"Oh, e no go last one round," di boxer bin tok say experts predict dat time.

Foreman bin tell BBC say e typically dey get "real nervous" and get "butterflies" bifor any boxing match, but dat night – e be di "most comfortable" wey e don feel.

But di wily Ali bin use one tactic wey later dey known as "rope-a-dope", wey bin wear out Foreman, cause am to throw out hundreds of punches bifor Ali unload on am for di eighth round and score one knockout.

Afta one second professional loss, Foreman bin retire for 1977 and become ordained minister at di Church of the Lord Jesus Christ for Texas, wey e bin found and build.

E bin tell di BBC say im defeat to Ali become di "best tin wey ever happun to me" as e bin ultimately lead am to "get my message out" through preaching.

E bin remember say im preaching start small, on street corners and wit friends, den grow.

"We begin meet informally for different homes for Houston, and bifor long, di crowds become too large for most houses to accommodate," Foreman tok for im website.

"Eventually, we bin buy one piece of land and one old, dilapidated building on di north-east side of Houston."

Foreman bin come out of retirement for 1987 to raise money for one youth centre wey e found. E bin win 24 matches bifor e lose to Evander Holyfield afta 12 rounds in 1991.

For 1994, Foreman bin knock out undefeated Michael Moorer to become di oldest ever heavyweight champion at di age of 45.

E become ad pitchman for im George Foreman Grill, wey millions don buy since e hit di market for 1994, thanks in part to im memorable catchphrase, di "Lean Mean Grilling Machine".

Foreman marry five times. E get dozen children, including five sons wey all dey named George.

E bin explain on im website why e name dem afta imself so "dem go always get somtin in common".

"I say to dem, 'If one of us go up, den we all go up togeda," e bin explain. "And if one go down, we all go down togeda!'"