CNN
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Two women have accused former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman of sexually assaulting them when they were minors in the 1970s, according to lawsuits filed this week.
One of the women is described as the daughter of a Foreman consultant and manager, while the second is the daughter of a boxer who trained with him, according to the documents.
They are demanding a jury trial and damages against Foreman and anyone else who may also be responsible for the alleged abuses. Those additional parties could be added to the lawsuit as more information becomes available in the case, the documents say:
Foreman denied the allegations in a statement on Wednesday.
“For the past six months, two women have tried to extort millions of dollars from me and my family. They falsely claim that I sexually abused them over 45 years ago in the 1970s. I adamantly and categorically deny these allegations,” he said.
“The pride in my reputation means as much to me as my athletic achievements, and I will not be intimidated by unwarranted threats and lies. I am and will always be guided by my faith and trust in God. I will work with my lawyers to make it plan to fully and truthfully expose my accusers and defend myself in court. I don’t choose fights, but I don’t run from them either,” Foreman added.
The lawsuits, filed Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, do not name Foreman but offer identifying details, including that the alleged abuser is “a former professional heavyweight boxer who turned professional in 1969” who was inducted into both the World Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame.” The lawsuits also say that the defendant became world heavyweight champion in 1973 and eventually lost the title to Muhammad Ali in 1974.
One of the alleged victims, named Denise S. in the lawsuit, says she was cared for by the boxer “at a young age” and accuses Foreman of having sexual acts with Denise S. when she was a minor, the lawsuit said.
The second alleged victim, named Gwen H., alleges that when Foreman, aged between 15 and 16, abused and sexually assaulted her after he “threatened that her father would lose his job if she didn’t follow the rules. ”
CNN has contacted the lawyers for both women.
A champion boxer and Olympic gold medalist, Foreman twice defended the coveted world heavyweight title before losing it to Muhammad Ali in the 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle”. compete before reviving his career and again becoming World Heavyweight Champion, before finally retiring in 1997.
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