According to lawsuits filed this week, two women have accused former heavyweight champion George Foreman of sexually abusing them as underage children in the 1970s.
According to the documents, one of the women is the daughter of Foreman’s aide and manager, while the other is the daughter of a boxer who conditioned with him.
They are requesting a jury trial and monetary damages from Foreman and anyone else who may have been involved in the purported abuses. According to the documents, those additional parties may be added to the lawsuit as more information becomes available in the case.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Foreman rejected the allegations.
“Over the past six months, two women have been trying to extort millions of dollars each from me and my family. They are falsely claiming that I sexually abused them over 45 years ago in the 1970s. I adamantly and categorically deny these allegations,” he said.
“The pride I take in my reputation means as much to me as my sports accomplishments, and I will not be intimidated by baseless threats and lies. I am, and always will be, guided by my faith and trust in God. I will work with my lawyers to fully and truthfully expose my accusers’ scheme and defend myself in court. I don’t pick fights, but I don’t run away from them either,” Foreman added.
The lawsuits, which were lodged in Los Angeles County’s Superior Court on Wednesday, do not name Foreman, but do provide identifying information, such as the alleged abuser being “a former professional heavy weight boxer who went professional in 1969″ who has been enlisted into both the World Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame.”
The lawsuits also states the defendant became world heavyweight champion in 1973 before losing the title to Muhammad Ali in 1974.
According to the lawsuit, one of the alleged victims, Denise S., claims she was groomed by the prize fighter “at an early age” and accuses Foreman of committing sexual acts on her while she was a teen.
The second alleged victim, Gwen H., claims that when she was between the ages of 15 and 16, Foreman molested and sexually assaulted her after threatening her father’s job if she did not obey.
