George Foreman’s 1968 Olympic Gold Medal Hits Public sale Block

Earlier than George Foreman knocked out Joe Frazier to grow to be the heavyweight champion or fought Muhammad Ali in one of the vital memorable fights ever … Huge George gained Olympic gold in 1968 — and now the medal’s on the block!!

Foreman, who was simply 19, was dominant in Mexico Metropolis, steamrolling his opps on the way in which to successful the ’68 Summer season Video games.

George’s hardest problem got here in his first struggle in opposition to Poland’s Lucjan Trela — within the spherical of 16 — a bout he gained 4-1.

From there, it was straightforward work for Foreman. He badly damage Ion Alexe from Romania within the quarterfinals, forcing the referee to cease the competition within the third.

Within the semifinals, Huge George put Italy’s Giorgio Bambini on his ass 3 times, successful by second-round knockout.

It was a lot of the identical within the finals … Foreman totally destroyed Jonas Cepulis of the Soviet Union, successful by referee stoppage within the second spherical, securing the gold!

The medal from the October 26, 1968, bout is on the block at Lelands Public sale, the place it has already been bid on a number of instances, regardless of not closing till subsequent Saturday.

As for a way Lelands bought the historic piece, it is an fascinating story.

Foreman was apparently neighbors with the consignor’s mom again in Houston within the Seventies, when George requested if he may retailer packing containers in her storage, in response to Lelands. She obliged.

Years later, when the neighbor’s daughter went by way of a few of her mother’s issues, she got here throughout a bunch of G.F.’s stuff, together with trophies, a driver’s license, and the gold medal!

Now the late-great Foreman’s medal could be yours.