Tux of Borg Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/co...&id=2784340 Morrison to continue comeback Tommy Morrison AP Photo/Keith Srakocic Tommy Morrison, left, dispatched John Castle within two rounds in their Feb. 22 bout. The controversial comeback of heavyweight Tommy Morrison could continue in Texas. Morrison, 38, tested positive for HIV, the virus known to cause AIDS, in Las Vegas in 1996 and was suspended indefinitely. However, he recently passed a battery of blood tests and was licensed to fight in West Virginia, where he knocked out John Castle in the second round on Feb. 22. It was Morrison's first fight in more than 10 years. Now, Morrison (47-3-1, 41 KOs) could be headed to San Antonio to box on the untelevised portion of the April 14 Manny Pacquiao-Jorge Solis pay-per-view card, according to Top Rank promoter Bob Arum. "We may put Tommy on that card," Arum told ESPN.com. "We'd like to put him on the card. We have to talk to Tommy and get in touch with the Texas commission." Morrison wants to be on the show. "We got one fight under our belt and it felt good," Morrison said. "I believe I will fight again on that card. Then Top Rank has a card June 9 in Madison Square Garden in New York, and maybe I will also fight on that card." Morrison took blood tests in Arizona, where he lives, earlier this year, and the clean results were forwarded to West Virginia. Some have questioned the validity of the tests, but John Montano, boxing director of the Arizona commission, told ESPN.com that he personally witnessed the blood that was tested being drawn from Morrison's arm. "He did take blood tests here in Arizona and, yes, I did witness the blood being taken," Montano said. Dickie Cole of Texas' Combative Sports Department and Patrick Shaughnessy, information officer for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (which oversees Cole's office), both told ESPN.com that as long as Morrison passes Texas' standard tests, which include an HIV blood test, he would be licensed. "For any fighter, if he submits an application and passes our physical requirements then, bing, we have to issue a license," Cole said. Under Texas rules, blood tests must be administered by a licensed doctor in the United States within 30 days of the application being filed. That means Morrison's Arizona tests would be outdated. "If Dickie Cole wants him to have more blood tests, no problem," Arum said. "The guy is HIV negative. He took a bunch of tests. One test cost $3,000. We made him take sophisticated tests. If he passes the blood test again, they will allow him to fight." Texas would accept results from tests taken in another state, but "we'd prefer to have one of our ringside physicians administer it," Cole said. "We just want to make damn sure he's capable of fighting. We just want Tommy to be safe to fight and have it be safe for his opponent and the referee to crawl in the ring. As long as he passes his medical tests, there would be no reason he can't fight." Morrison said he just wants to continue his career. Taking additional tests are no problem. "Absolutely, I don't have any problem with that," Morrison said. "Any place we go, we will pass their tests and they will have to let me fight. Each time we fight and win, it strengthens our case. It will become less and less of an issue. We'll have to jump through some hoops for the next few months, but then it will die down and I can just get on with business." Morrison hopes to eventually work his way back into a big fight. He mentioned an eventual match with ex-champ Riddick Bowe or a rematch with Ray Mercer. But he really wants to fight James Toney. "Toney is someone I want to fight down the line," Morrison said. "I will put him in the hospital. I don't like him. I don't like his attitude. He doesn't represent being a contender the way it should be done. He walks around like he's the second coming and he looks like a 38-year-old truck driver." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I 90 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Same magical healer that cured Evander Holyfield's degenerative heart condition must have got to him. Baby Joe was on that card if I'm not mistaken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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