“I really believe that my platforms one day are gonna lead a lot of people to Jesus Christ.” Jon Jones has often talked about his deep-running faith in God. While he was preparing for his fight against Stipe Miocic, ‘Bones’ seldom did an interview where he didn’t praise God. But on 21 March 2025, even the strongest of God’s followers broke down in tears. That was the day when the legendary boxer, George Foreman, left us all for his heavenly abode. And even after his death, ‘Big George’ managed to inspire fighters like Jones to keep their faith alive. 

The UFC heavyweight champion shared a reel on his IG Story, that highlighted an extract from Foreman’s interview with Graham Bensinger in 2017. While no official cause for Foreman’s death is out to the public, it was clear that he knew that he was not going to stick around for much longer. It was after Foreman lost his bout against Jimmy Young. He was proud that he took on Young for all 12 rounds and proved that stamina wasn’t an issue for him. However, when he went back to the locker room, he started to think that he was going to “die in a dirty old dressing room.” 

That’s when his life began to change. He didn’t want to bow out in a dressing room. He had a lot of money and a lot of luxurious places where he could take his final breaths. And that’s when he began worrying about death. It seemed like all his money, all his possessions were worthless. Let me tell you, Foreman wasn’t really a religious guy from the beginning. He talked about faith, but it was all to attract fans. But when he went into a panic attack following his loss against Young, he had a reawakening.

In the interview, ‘Big George’ said, “I realized I was going to die. I said look, I’m still George Foreman. I can still give money to charity and for cancer. And the voice answered me back, ‘I don’t want your money! I want you!’ And I remember, Boom! Tears poured. I didn’t get scared. I said, ‘I don’t care if this is death.” He continued, “I still believe there’s a God.’ When I said that a gigantic hand reached in and pulled me out of nothingness.” 

The video continued with Foreman saying, “And I remember saying, ‘Hey, I’m dying everybody. But tell everybody I’m dying for God. Because I’ve been saved from the thing that I was most afraid of — Death.’ And I started screaming, ‘Jesus Christ is coming alive in me.’” Foreman claimed that he jumped off the table as the hospital staff were trying to hold him down. He ran towards the shower and cleaned himself. The legend seemed to feel like he was born again, with his fear of death taken away by the hand of God. He went on, “I was like, ‘I gotta tell the world.’ And I’ve never stopped screaming that to this day.” 

That experience gave ‘Big George’ a new perspective. He soon took his leave from the squared rings. He couldn’t see the punching bag as his enemy anymore. It was nothing more than a piece of leather. Despite that, he ensured that his empire rose. He had a ranch, and several supercars, and took his last breath in the luxury of a $300M net worth. Needless to say, Foreman’s passing was a gloomy moment for the fighting realm. After all, he was one of the legends who shared the ring with Muhammad Ali. The entire UFC world, including Jones, Dana White, and Daniel Cormier, expressed their grief on the internet. Jones simply shared a Story on his IG profile and wrote, “Rest in peace.” But do you know how deep the UFC heavyweight champion’s faith runs? Let’s take a look. 

Jon Jones reveals his deep faith in God

In an interview for UFC In The Moment, back in 2013, ‘Bones’ shared the grief of losing his sister. She was only 18 years old when she lost her battle against brain cancer. No doubt, the loss exacted a heavy toll on Jones. Yet, his faith in God never really wavered. He said, “Considering that she was a light and she was my only sister, it is tough for me. Despite all the questions that I have had, I have never given up on God, never given up on my faith.”

Years later after becoming the champion of the heavyweight division, Jones weighed in on the essence of Christianity. He claimed that it was all about a decision. He said, “The way Christianity works is, it’s a decision to accept Christ into your life, and to accept Christ into your heart.” 

And for another interesting Foreman-Jones connection, the pair had a mutual liking for a particular Bible verse. Philippians 4:13. Jones’ fans know these words from his iconic chest tattoo. Back in September 2023, Foreman gave his own take on the verse. When Foreman was vocal that he was going to be a boxing champion, his friends said ‘No.’ Years later, as a champion boxer, when he said he was going to be a preacher, his friends said ‘No.’ Foreman went ahead and did those things anyway. The message? All is possible with God’s help. Exactly as the verse tells you.

Now, it seemed like his faith in God was reignited when Jones came across Foreman’s interview. And that’s the thing about legends. They keep motivating even the strongest fighters to keep on fighting and keep having faith in the Almighty. As we bid farewell for the time being, drop down to the comments section and share your favorite George Foreman moment.