According to various reports former WBO Heavyweight champion and star of Rocky 5, Tommy Morrison passed away late Sunday night in Nebraska.
Morrison was 44.
Morrison rose to prominence as a hard punching Heavyweight who started his career in 1988. The highlight of his career was a 12 round unanimous decision over George Foreman to win the WBO crown. He was cast as “Tommy Gunn” in Rocky 5 and he became a cross over personality.
After a loss to Lennox Lewis, Morrison was signed by promoter Don King and was being positioned for a lucrative showdown with Mike Tyson. Morrison was to have a tune-up bout with Arthur Weathers but tested positive for the HIV Virus on the eve of the fight and that essentially ended his boxing career.
He fought three times after that in Japan, West Virginia and Mexico but he was unable to secure any fights of consequence in major boxing states.
Morrison proclaimed that he did not have the disease and at this time the cause of death is unknown.
His ring record was 48-3-1 with 42 knockouts.
