Boxing History: Yuri Foreman's Hall of Fame Induction
The former super welterweight champion joins Julian Edelman and Nancy Lieberman in the 2026 International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame class.
By Omar Bennett ·
Yuri Foreman, the former WBA super welterweight champion, was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame on October 25.
The 46-year-old boxer joined a 2026 class that includes former NFL player Julian Edelman, Israeli basketball player Omri Casspi, and basketball legend Nancy Lieberman. The honor recognizes a career that includes 35 professional victories and a world title.
Foreman’s path to the ring began in Gomel, Belarus, where he was born on August 5, 1980. He started boxing at age seven after an encounter with older boys at a swimming pool. His family moved to Haifa, Israel, in 1991, joining a large wave of Jewish emigrants from the Soviet Union.
He struggled to adjust in Israel, where his parents worked long hours cleaning offices. Foreman, who could not speak Hebrew, frequently fought other children at school. His mother died in 1998 when he was 17. He left Israel for New York in 1999 to pursue a professional career.
In New York, Foreman worked in the garment district and trained at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn. He ran across the Brooklyn Bridge to reach the gym, a journey that took up to 40 minutes. He won the New York Golden Gloves amateur championship in 2001 and turned professional in 2002.
Manager Maury Wilson connected Foreman with promoter Bob Arum and his Top Rank organization. Arum, who is set to turn 95 in December, noted that while he had promoted many champions, he had never had a Jewish world champion. Foreman agreed to help Arum achieve that goal.
Foreman won the WBA super welterweight title in November 2009 in Las Vegas. He defended the belt against Miguel Cotto at Yankee Stadium on June 5, 2010. More than 20,000 spectators attended the event, including many Israeli and Jewish supporters. The fight ended in a draw after Foreman suffered a knee injury.
The boxer said he felt like a second-class citizen in Israel from 1991 to 1999. He credited his religious studies and boxing training with helping him navigate his life. The Hall of Fame induction marks the latest recognition of his status as the first Israeli to win a major professional boxing world title.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
