George Foreman says he lost his best friend when Muhammad Ali died Friday night ... but the former heavyweight champ tells TMZ Sports he takes solace knowing Ali would've been touched by the outpouring of affection.
Ali and Foreman squared off in the 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" -- maybe boxing's most legendary match. Ali handed Foreman his first loss. Years later, they became close friends.
Foreman told us about his last interaction with Ali:
"Last year, at the end of the year, I spent some time with him in Louisville.