George "The Devil" Foreman is one of the greatest champions in boxing history, and the sport might not have been perfect without him. Due to his fame, Foreman has been the focus of media pursuit, but accustomed to his ferocity in the ring, this article explores Foreman's lesser-known family life, especially his fifth wife, Mary Joan Matri, who has been married for nearly 40 years.
Foreman and Matri entered the marriage hall in 1985, which was a new beginning for Forman, because in the following days, he and Matri had a heart-to-heart relationship and walked hand in hand to this day.
Foreman and Matri have seven children – three boys and four girls – and Matri takes care of the children left over from his previous marriages.
Mattley revealed in an interview that she didn't know who he was until she met Foreman. "I didn't know anything about Foreman's career, I had never seen him box, I didn't even know he was a fighter," Matri said. ”
Born and raised on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia, Matri lived in a local community, which fostered a strong sense of determination and values that appreciate hard work and perseverance.
Mattrie's acquaintance with Foreman was more by accident, and she came to United States on a six-month visa to testify for Foreman in a lawsuit. "When the six months were coming to an end, Foreman said to me, 'You can't go back!'" Mattley recalled. Originally, we were going to the movies, and Foreman said he was coming back right away, and he came back with a small ring, and you can barely see the diamonds, and he said can you marry me? I was thinking, I don't know what to say, but I told Foreman – okay, yes. ”
Foreman has been through five marriages to date, before marrying Matri, he married Adrian Calhoun in 1971 and divorced in 1974. In 1977, Foreman married then-beauty queen Cynthia Lewis, a marriage that lasted until 1979. In 1981, Foreman married Sharon Goodson, and the two parted ways just a year later. Foreman married again in 1982 to Andrea Skeeter, and the two eventually divorced in 1985.
As a result of five marriages, Foreman had a total of 12 children, all of whom were named George Edward Foreman...... Up to George Edward Forman VI.
Foreman also has six daughters, among whom Frida Foreman, who was also a fighter, tragically passed away in 2019.
When talking about raising the children before Foreman, Mattley affectionately stated that she wanted to be a source of support for the children. "I have to raise the kids, I want to be there for them, I want someone to pick them up while they're in school, from A to Z," Matri said. ”
Mr. and Mrs. Foreman, who currently live in Huffman, Texas, and their villa was purchased at the beginning of this century, and it took three years to build and renovate it before moving in, covering an area of 273 acres, which is now estimated to be worth $10 million. The mansion in Foreman has several buildings, and in addition to the main building, there is also a hotel and a gym, with a total usable area of about 4,180 square meters.
Like Foreman, Matri is actively involved in philanthropic work, with a special focus on children's welfare and health, and the couple has made a significant contribution to this endeavor, and both have received honors from their respective organizations.
Despite Foreman's fame, Matri was rarely seen, and many people did not even see her. Matri, who has always made an effort to keep herself humble, said in an interview: "Usually we do things but don't tell anybody, and my grandma always said, if you want to be blessed, don't let the whole world know." ”