Tommy Morrison on the comeback trail!!!

[Hardball]

Feb. 20, 2007— Heavyweight Tommy Morrison, who was indefinitely suspended after a positive HIV test on the eve of a 1996 fight in Las Vegas, has been cleared to return to the ring after passing a battery of medical tests, Morrison told ESPN.com on Tuesday.


Morrison is in Chester, W.Va., to fight on a card there Thursday night. His opponent in the four-round bout is slated to be John Castle of Indianapolis. Morrison's bout is not scheduled to be part of the Versus-televised coverage of the card.


"It's been a long time coming," Morrison told ESPN.com. "I know I didn't have [HIV] in the first place. I never had it. I believe it, but they kicked me out of the sport. … Over the last two or three months, I have taken five, six different [HIV] tests and continued to pass them. It was just a matter of time before they had to let me fight again."


Official announcement is expected at a news conference Tuesday afternoon at the Mountaineer Race Track.


Top Rank, which is promoting Thursday's card, is considering signing Morrison if it is pleased with how he performs. Morrison has been training for months in Phoenix.


After his positive HIV test, Morrison boxed once more, knocking out Marcus Rhode in Japan in November 1996. Morrison (46-3-1, 40 KOs), 38, reached the pinnacle of his career with a June 1993 decision win against George Foreman to claim the vacant WBO heavyweight title.


Morrison has maintained that his positive HIV test was a false positive. In a March 1996 chat with ESPN.com, Morrison revealed that he tested positive for HIV.


Before Morrison was cleared to fight, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN.com he was considering getting involved in a Morrison comeback as long as he passed the appropriate medical tests.


"They've [doctors] told me it is possible for HIV to disappear and if that's the case with Tommy, why shouldn't he be able to fight," Arum told ESPN.com last month.

[Tom Yum]

Originally Posted by Hardball

Before Morrison was cleared to fight, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN.com he was considering getting involved in a Morrison comeback as long as he passed the appropriate medical tests.

I hope the medicals are done with honesty and integrity, because they need to protect other fighters too.

Originally Posted by Hardball

"They've [doctors] told me it is possible for HIV to disappear and if that's the case with Tommy, why shouldn't he be able to fight," Arum told ESPN.com last month.

I agree with this.

I saw a pic of him recently and he looks just as fit as he did during his hay day.

[Uke]

No fighter will get in the ring with a man who has been diagnosed with HIV. Boxing is a bloody sport and no one is going to risk catching it so that Morrison can make a few bucks. He was a circus attraction then, and he's an even bigger sideshow now.

If Arum manages to finagle a way to force fighters to face Morrison or be stripped, then the fighters should request that Arum receive a televised blood transfusion from Morrison as a show of faith.

[Hardball]

Hey my writing was all cut and paste from USA Today, I think or else cnn.com or msn.com

[Uke]

Originally Posted by Hardball

Hey my writing was all cut and paste from USA Today, I think or else cnn.com or msn.com

I wasn't responding to you personally, Hardball. I am just familiar with Morrison's past and his ridiculous attempts to be reinstated as a heavyweight boxer. I was against Magic Johnson ever playing again once he was diagnosed.

What person would feel comfortable competing in a physical sport against an HIV positive athlete where sweat and blood are not uncommon? The minute he gets a bloody nose or a cut the whole event would be disrupted.

What do you think about it, Hardball? Do you think he should be able to compete?

[Hardball]

Well, I think a false positive is possible. Then if he had a false positive and is not really HIV positive then he should be allowed to fight. My concern is why did it take so many years to determine that His HIV test was flawed.?

[Uke]

Originally Posted by Hardball

Well, I think a false positive is possible. Then if he had a false positive and is not really HIV positive then he should be allowed to fight. My concern is why did it take so many years to determine that His HIV test was flawed.?

I wouldn't fight him. I don't believe that anyone will. After all these years of him taking medication and even giving interviews about it, all of a sudden he doesn't have it?

You do realize that they can't find the HIV virus in Magic Johnson, but we all know he has it.

[Hardball]

Originally Posted by Uke

I wouldn't fight him. I don't believe that anyone will. After all these years of him taking medication and even giving interviews about it, all of a sudden he doesn't have it?

You do realize that they can't find the HIV virus in Magic Johnson, but we all know he has it.

Well, I can't Dunk but I can fight so I guess I just better mind my own business. LOL Seriously though, I really think it's up to the medical community.

[Tom Yum]

Originally Posted by Hardball

Seriously though, I really think it's up to the medical community.

And its going to be a very ethical decision for the medical community.

[Hardball]

Originally Posted by Tom Yum

And its going to be a very ethical decision for the medical community.

It should set a precedent for future cases.

[Uke]

Originally Posted by Hardball

It should set a precedent for future cases.

I can't see any boxer being willing to get in the ring and fighting this guy. Too many athletes have a fear of contracting HIV to risk fighting Morrision.

Time will tell, but I doubt that we'll ever see the day that he'll be fighting any real boxers.