George Foreman Files 'Defamation' Countersuit Against Sexual Assault Accuser
Former heavyweight boxing champ George Foreman is hitting back in court after a woman sued him for allegedly grooming and sexually abusing her and her friend nearly 50 years ago.
According to TMZ Sports, the 74-year-old is countersuing a woman by the name of Gwen H. for going outside of the protections of her original lawsuit against Foreman by holding a press conference in November where she bad-mouthed the boxer.
Foreman told TMZ that Gwen H. had reached out before filing the lawsuit to demand $12 million in hush money.
RELATED: LAWSUIT ACCUSES GEORGE FOREMAN OF SEXUAL ASSAULT
The women were connected to Foreman through his friendship with their respective fathers. Gwen H.'s father trained with Foreman in the 1970s, and he allegedly sexually assaulted her at age 15. They filed their lawsuit against Foreman in 2022 in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Foreman Responds With Countersuit
Foreman's lawsuit, accusing the women of defamation, detailed that the claims have "zero corroborating evidence in the form of documents, photographs, letters, or witnesses to support Gwen's false claims against Foreman."
HAMBURG, GERMANY - JULY 02: George Foreman poses before the WBC Heavyweight World Championship fight between Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine and David Haye of England at Imtech Arena on July 2, 2011 in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Gwen H.'s lawsuit against Foreman claims that the boxer forced himself upon her by threatening her father's role in training with him.
“He asked me to remove my clothes, and if I didn't, then my father would be fired, so I complied,” Gwen H.’s lawsuit read.
Foreman initially responded to the lawsuit by calling it baseless and a scheme to draw money from him.
"Over the past six months, two women have been trying to extort millions of dollars each from me and my family," Foreman said against the lawsuit in 2022.
"They are falsely claiming that I sexually abused them over 45 years ago in the 1970s. I adamantly and categorically deny these allegations.
"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’ schemes and defend myself in court. I don’t pick fights, but I don’t run away from them either."
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 03: George Foreman attends the Hublot x WBC "Night of Champions" Gala at the Encore Hotel on May 03, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Roger Kisby/Getty Images for Hublot)