George Foreman says watching a Volkswagen advertisement featuring Wilt Chamberlain made him want to buy the same Beetle himself.
There are few boxing legends with the pedigree and the name recognition that George Foreman carried. George burst onto the scene as an Olympics gold medalist at the age of 19 before turning pro.
Foreman was a heavy hitter who was famed for his power-packed knockout punches. He wrested the world championship title from Joe Frazier in 1973 and defended it twice before losing to the older Muhammad Ali.
His loss in the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ fight to Ali led him down a downward spiral. Retiring from boxing in 1977 due to a spiritual awakening, the former heavyweight champion became a pastor.
However, Foreman came back 10 years later into the ring and reclaimed his title at the age of 45. He set the record for the oldest heavyweight champion ever with a knockout victory over Michael Moorer.
George Foreman reveals that Wilt Chamberlain was one of his idols
Foreman was recently a guest on The Steam Room with Charles Barkley and Ernie Johnson. He opened up about his motivations, ambitions and how the journey of his life took him places.
Big George revealed that NFL running back Jim Brown and Wilt Chamberlain were among his idols. About Wilt the Stilt, Foreman said he was enamored by the former’s choice of cars:
“I saw Wilt Chamberlain come out of a Volkswagen in a commercial once. And I looked at that and I enjoyed it, that’s what I wanted the most too, (it) was a Volkswagen in life.”
Chamberlain had partnered with Volkswagen in 1966 for a long-standing relationship with the German manufacturers. The commercial that Foreman is referring to was for the Volkswagen Beetle – an extraordinarily small car for a giant like the 7’2″ Wilt.
Foreman made most of his $200 million-plus fortune by selling toaster grills
The George Foreman Grill company is a well-known brand that specializes in manufacturing electric grills. It was first introduced in the market in 1994, and since then, it has become a household name in many countries around the world.
The company has a wide range of products, including indoor and outdoor grills, panini presses, and waffle makers. The unique selling point of these grills is their ability to cook food quickly and healthily, with excess fat draining away from the food.
Over the years, the George Foreman Grill company has been successful in its sales and marketing strategy. The company has managed to create a loyal customer base due to the convenience and efficiency of its products.