Heavyweight boxing great George Foreman dead at 76

On the ropes: George Foreman battered away at Muhammad Ali in Kinshasa but ended up losing the heavyweight title (-)Former heavyweight champion George Foreman, who lost to Muhammad Ali in boxing's iconic 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" before reclaiming the title two decades later, died Friday aged 76, his family said.

Fondly known as Big George, Foreman dropped out of school as a teenager and went on to become an Olympic champion and later a legend of boxing.

He fought 81 times as a professional, winning 76, 68 of those by knockout.

As well as boxing he put his name to the "George Foreman Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine," appearing smiling and friendly in the TV ads, becoming a celebrity…