Boxing legend George Foreman is now coming under heavy fire over accusations he sexually abused two women in the 1970s. Two lawsuits were filed in Los Angeles County this week accusing the former heavyweight champion of sexual abuse, and because of some new statute of limitations rules set, these women are now allowed to come forward to press their claims against Foreman in civil court.
Foreman denies these allegations and explains that he plans to fight them.
These cases of alleged sexual abuse stem from the 1970s, back when Foreman was at the height of his career.
The claims accuse Foreman of abusing these two women when they were young teens. The two women, who are coming forward under the pseudonyms Gwen H and Denise S to keep their identities a secret and remain protected, are alleging that Foreman utilized his position as a famous boxer to groom them from a young age.
The women both allege the boxer met them when they were young through their fathers who worked with him. One claim says one woman’s father was a Foreman sparring partner, who is currently unnamed, while the other father allegedly was Foreman’s boxing manager and a “longtime advisor” according to The New York Times.
According to these women, they claimed that Foreman threatened that their fathers would lose their jobs if the women ever tried to tell on him. This kept them compliant, and through that Foreman began grooming the two girls before they were even 10 years of age.
Gwen H says in her claim she first met Foreman when she was only 9 years old, and by her word, Foreman began raping and sexually abusing her when she was 15, and it continued when she was 16 as well. This apparently took place in a Beverly Hills apartment, and her claims says Foreman affirmed to her that if she said anything her father would lose his job as his boxing manager and advisor.
Denise S, who is a Los Angeles resident herself, claims that Foreman began grooming her when she was 8 years old and started having sex with her at 15 years old in a single instance in a San Francisco hotel room.
While these do sound like serious allegations and something that can destroy Foreman’s reputation, he’s calling BS.
Foreman stands firm on his claim that these allegations are not only false, but they are baseless accusations from women who are trying to get some money out of him, according to The Guardian.
“Over the past six months, two women have been trying to extort millions of dollars each from me and my family,” his statement said. “I don’t pick fights, but I don’t run away from them either.“ Foreman said in his statement.
In the lawsuit presented to the County of Los Angeles, Foreman isn’t brought up by name, rather identified as DOE 1. He is described as the professional boxer who was defeated Joe Frazier in 1973 to take claim as the heavyweight champion of the world, before he eventually lost it to Muhammad Ali in ’74. Foreman would go on to become the oldest heavyweight champion in history by beating Michael Moorer.
A California law that went into effect in 2020 waived the statute of limitations for civil cases involving sexual abuse of people during their childhood. Before this, that statute of limitation would’ve prevented these women from coming forward with this lawsuit.
Foreman’s celebrity increased after his boxing career. He began selling his iconic electric grills. The former champ will be under a lot of heat until this passes over.
