Reaction to the death of two-time heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman:
“Condolences to George Foreman's family. His contribution to boxing and beyond will never be forgotten.” — Mike Tyson, two-time heavyweight champion
“Rest in peace, George Foreman. Your legacy lives on, champ.” — Scottie Pippen, six-time NBA champion
“I attended so many of George’s championship fights over his career. He was a knockout artist in the ring, and it was a pleasure getting to know him not only as a boxer but as a man. After leaving the ring, he turned into an amazing businessman — I even bought one of the first George Foreman grills!” — Magic Johnson, five-time NBA champion and entrepreneur
“RIP this hitting me tuff as George was one of my HEROES.” — Chuck D, rapper and co-founder of Public Enemy
“We have lost a true American legend. George Foreman was more than just a two-time heavyweight champion, he was a symbol of strength, resilience, faith, and redemption. From the ring to the pulpit, from Olympic gold to entrepreneurial greatness, George Foreman inspired generations with his story of perseverance and grace. Houston watched him rise with strength, humility, and an unshakable belief in God. Thank you for showing us what greatness truly looks like. Your legacy will live on forever.” — Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas
“Beyond a living legend in the ring - just a wonderful spirit - an incredibly kind generous man — in person. I always remember every encounter with great gratitude — it was an honor to know him.” — John Cusack, actor
“George was a great friend to not only myself, but to my entire family. We've lost a family member and are absolutely devastated.” — Bob Arum, boxing promoter
“I got to know Mr. Foreman a little bit, seeing him at all the boxing matches and I always picked his brain about trying to be an entrepreneur when your career is over. It hurts a lot because he was obviously one of the greatest boxers ever, but just a gentle man, was a pastor. This just hurts.” — Charles Barkley, Hall of Fame NBA player
“Good case to be made that George Foreman fashioned the greatest second act in sports history. And it was more than reclaiming the title. It was a total transformation.” — Jeremy Schaap, ESPN journalist
"In 1973, I was honored to welcome Foreman to the State Capitol along with my then-colleague, Mickey Leland. The world knew Foreman as a two-time heavyweight champion; we knew him as a proud member of our community — a man whose heart was as big as his powerful punch. George’s journey from the streets of Fifth Ward to boxing and business success was an inspiration. He never forgot where he came from, and his commitment to our city was constant. I extend my condolences to his family. Houston will forever be proud to call George Foreman one of our own.” — John Whitmire, mayor of Houston
AP boxing: https://apnews.com/boxing
FILE - Former heavyweight champion George Foreman of Houston, reacts during a news conference in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 1994.(AP Photo/Lennox McLendon, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When Los Angeles goalie Darcy Kuemper came out to center ice ready to fight his Boston Bruins counterpart Jeremy Swayman on Sunday night, Kings coach Jim Hiller was only thinking about all the bad things that could have happened.
Fortunately for Hiller, officials prevented Kuemper and Swayman from actually coming to blows late in the second period of the Kings’ 7-2 win over the Bruins.
“I mean, nobody wants to see that,” Hiller said before catching himself. “Well, I shouldn’t say that. Neither teams’ coaches want to see that because those are some pretty important players you don’t want busting up hands or anything like that."
The near-fracas came about after Bruins forward Marat Khusnutdinov made contact with Kuemper after he was hit from behind by Kings forward Tanner Jeannot, resulting in a goaltender interference penalty. Kuemper forcefully responded, grabbing Khusnutdinov around the head and neck, taking off the forward's helmet and drawing a roughing penalty.
Swayman objected to Kuemper’s conduct, coming out to center ice and inviting Kuemper to join him. Kuemper did as he dropped his gloves, prompting Swayman to drop his gloves and take off his helmet. Referee Graham Skilliter got in front of Swayman, and linesman Travis Toomey skated in front of Kuemper and kept the goalies apart.
“He touched one of my guys, and I think that was something I’m not going to accept,” Swayman said. “And kudos to him, he stepped up. Just it got broken up.”
Kuemper and Swayman both received minor penalties for leaving their creases.
“Heated moments, you know,” Kings forward Adrian Kempe said. “It happens. It’s fun for the fans, I guess.”
There has not been a goalie fight in the NHL since the COVID-19 pandemic, with the last scrap between Edmonton’s Mike Smith and Calgary’s Cam Talbot happening on Feb. 1, 2020.
But it hasn’t been for lack of trying. Swayman tried to get Joseph Woll of the Toronto Maple Leafs to fight on March 7, but Woll declined.
Officials also stepped in to keep St. Louis' Jordan Binnington and Minnesota's Marc-Andre Fleury from fighting in March 2023. Binnington was ejected and received a two-game suspension for throwing a punch at Wild forward Ryan Hartman.
For Hiller, it's easy to understand why he didn't want Kuemper to put his body at risk. The Kings have the best home record in the NHL at 25-3-4, and Kuemper has not lost in regulation in his past 14 home starts since Dec. 7.
While fans in the arena and on social media were disappointed the brawl never happened, Hiller was happy the goalies were intercepted in time.
“They’re not as agile as the players are, so I think it’s a little easier for the referees to get a hold of those guys, and glad they did," Hiller said.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman, left, is held back from fighting Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper during the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman, right, is held back from fighting Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper during the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/William Liang)
