George Foreman’s 1968 Olympic Gold Medal Up For Auction

Imagine owning a piece of Olympic and boxing history! George Foreman’s gold medal from the 1968 Mexico City Olympics is now up for grabs. This isn’t just any medal; it’s a symbol of a pivotal moment for one of boxing’s most legendary figures, won just a year before he turned professional.

From Olympic Champion to Pro Legend

At just 19 years old, George Foreman captured the gold medal in the heavyweight division at the 1968 Summer Games. He secured the victory on October 29, 1968, by defeating Jonas Cepulis of the Soviet Union when the referee stopped the fight in the second round. This triumph marked the beginning of an incredible journey that would see him become a two-time world heavyweight champion.

Foreman’s professional career was nothing short of spectacular. He famously became the World Heavyweight Champion on January 22, 1973, with a knockout win over Joe Frazier. His epic ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ bout against Muhammad Ali in Zaire on October 30, 1974, is etched in sports lore, even though he lost his title that night.

The Medal’s Unexpected Journey

The medal is currently being auctioned by Lelands, with the online auction set to close on December 6. The starting bid was a modest $2,500, a fraction of what such a significant piece of sports history might fetch.

Interestingly, Lelands acquired the medal from a woman who was once Foreman’s neighbor in Houston during the 1970s. She had allowed him to use her garage for storage, and years later, while cleaning out her house, she discovered the medal along with other personal items like passports and his driver’s license. It was found in a box containing some of his trophies.

Authenticity and Condition

The auction house believes it’s ‘highly likely’ this is the actual medal Foreman won, though it required cleaning after being stored for so long. While it’s described as being in excellent condition, Lelands notes that absolute confirmation would require a photo-match or the original plaque, which are not available.

Foreman continued to box into his later years, achieving another incredible milestone. In 1987, at the age of 45, he became the oldest boxer to win the heavyweight title, knocking out Michael Moorer in the 10th round in Las Vegas. He passed away earlier this year in March at the age of 76.