Before becoming the fifth wife of professional heavyweight boxer George Foreman, who at the time was best known for winning gold at the 1968 Summer Olympics and fighting Rumble in the Jungle with Muhammad Ali, was virtually unknown to Mary Joan Martelly. The Saint Lucian has always managed to keep things the same, as she has mostly played a secondary role in her husband’s affairs. Read on to find out everything we were able to find out about his life.

Bio of Mary Joan Martelly

Mary Joan Martelly’s date of birth is unknown to the public, however, she is believed to have been born in the eastern Caribbean island country of Saint Lucia, and more specifically in the village of Mon Repos. Details about his family and early life are scarce. Although she is said to be the third of six children, the identity of her parents is not known.

As a young girl, Mary Joan had a great interest in sports. She reportedly played on an unspecified sports team at school, hoping to one day turn professional. This, however, was not the case as she had to find work to make ends meet following the death of her father. She reportedly worked in a factory and restaurant in her home country before later moving to the United States to work as a nanny.

Her time in the United States was subsequently unknown until she met and began dating George Foreman.

Mary Joan Martelly’s Family – Children

After four failed marriage attempts, George Foreman married his fifth wife, Mary Joan Martelly, on March 27, 1985, the year in which his marriage to his fourth wife, Andrea Skeete, ended. Sources say Foreman and Martelly began dating while he was still legally married to his ex-wife. They dated for about a year before deciding to exchange marital vows after his divorce.

Together, they welcomed five children to the world. These are daughters – Leola and Natalie, and sons – George IV, also known as the Ferris Wheel; George V, also known as Red; and George VI, also known as little Joey. Foreman has seven other children; five from his previous marriages and two adopted. His other biological children are sons – George Jr. and George III. Her daughters are Michi, Freeda, and Georgetta, while her adoptees are Isabella Brenda Lilja Foreman and Courtney Isaac Foreman.

Not much is known about the Mary JoanMartelly family, her husband and children chose to live a relatively low life, away from the prying eyes of the media. In 2008, however, they took part in the six-episode long family reality show called Family Foreman, which chronicled Foreman’s life as both a boxer and a father.

Other Facts About George Foreman’s Wife

1. Some of Mary Joan Martelly’s stepchildren followed in their father’s footsteps to pursue boxing careers. His stepson George Foreman III, better known as Monk, and his stepdaughter Freeda Foreman were both professional boxers.

Monk, born on January 23, 1983, was famous for accompanying his father and sitting at ringside while working as a color commentator. He then got involved in the sport in his early teens and in 2009 he started a career in heavyweight boxing which lasted 3 years. During his boxing career, he managed to amass a perfect 16-0 record before retiring to go into business.

Mary Joan’s other daughter-in-law who entered the ring, Freeda, went 5-1 before retiring in 2001 to spend time with her family. In 2019, Freeda made headlines after she was found dead in her Houston-area home. According to the coroner’s report, his cause of death was asphyxiation by hanging.

2. Mary Joan Martelly has been involved in various charities, especially those involved in AIDS awareness campaigns. She and her husband have worked extensively to raise awareness of AIDS among children and have also campaigned for the prevention of AIDS in children.

3. In 2004, George Foreman surprised the world when he announced he wanted to return to boxing. The former heavyweight champion, 55 at the time, said the main reason he was looking to make a comeback was to prove he was able to prove his age wasn’t a stone of stumbling.

According to unspecified reports, Foreman allegedly Jamaican-Canadian boxer Trevor Berbick was his opponent. However, the fight never happened. It was widely speculated that May Joan Martelly was the main reason this didn’t materialize, seeing as she was adamantly opposed to the very idea.

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