Tommy Morrison: The Duke, Rocky V and the night he beat George Foreman | Ultimate Boxing Reunion

Why fans still care

TOMMY MORRISON was a heavyweight with a big left hook and a film role most fighters never get. He played Tommy Gunn opposite Sylvester Stallone in Rocky V, then went out and beat George Foreman, Who’s Who number 35 for a world title.

His fights were rarely dull. He knocked people down, got knocked down, and against Carl Williams and Donovan Ruddock he got up to win.

Early life

He was born on 2 January 1969 in Gravette, Arkansas, and grew up in Oklahoma, with Jay described as his hometown. He claimed a distant family connection to the actor John Wayne, a claim that has been disputed. As an amateur he said he had more than 200 bouts with about 20 losses. In 1988 he won the Kansas Golden Gloves heavyweight title, and at the 1988 Olympic trials he lost to Ray Mercer, which ended his hopes of going to Seoul.

The early fights

He turned professional in November 1988 with a first round stoppage of Will Muhammad, and he won his first 28 fights. Frank Stallone saw him fighting on ESPN, and that led to the part of Tommy Gunn in Rocky V, released in 1990. On 11 January 1991 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City he stopped James Tillis in round 1, with three knockdowns, and on 19 February 1991 at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Pinklon Thomas did not come out for round 2.

Career chapters

1. 1988Turns professional
2. 1990Plays Tommy Gunn in Rocky V
3. 1991First loss, to Ray Mercer, for the WBO title
4. 1992Stops Joe Hipp despite a broken jaw and hand
5. 1993Beats George Foreman, Who’s Who number 35 for the vacant WBO title
6. 1993Loses the title to Michael Bentt
7. 1995Stops Donovan Ruddock, then is stopped by Lennox Lewis, Who’s Who number 29
8. 1996Licence suspended in Nevada
9. 2007 to 2008Comeback wins in West Virginia and Mexico

Ray Mercer 1991

On 18 October 1991 in Atlantic City he challenged Ray Mercer for the WBO heavyweight title. He started fast and bloodied Mercer in round 3, but Mercer stung him in round 4. In round 5 two right hooks and a left, then a barrage, led referee Tony Perez to stop it 28 seconds into the round.

Hipp and Williams 1992 to 1993

On 27 June 1992 at Bally’s in Reno, Joe Hipp was down in round 5, and Morrison stopped him in round 9 despite breaking his jaw and his hand. On 16 January 1993 in Reno he put Carl Williams down with left hooks in rounds 1 and 3, was dropped twice himself in round 5, and Mills Lane stopped it in round 8.

George Foreman 1993

On 7 June 1993 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas he met the 44 year old George Foreman, Who’s Who number 35 for the vacant WBO title. Instead of the expected brawl he used the jab and kept moving, and the crowd booed. In round 8 a low hook from Foreman doubled him over and he was given 57 seconds to recover, and in round 10 Foreman lost a point for a low blow. He won a unanimous decision, 117 to 110, 117 to 110 and 118 to 109. “The plan was not to let Foreman get set,” he said afterwards.

Champion and Bentt 1993

On 30 August 1993 at Kemper Arena in Kansas City he made his first defence against the late replacement Tim Tomashek, and the ring physician stopped it in round 4. On 29 October 1993 in Tulsa, Michael Bentt knocked him down three times in round 1 and took the title. The loss cost him a reported US$7.5 million fight with Lennox Lewis, Who’s Who number 29. “I zigged when I should have zagged,” he said.

Ruddock and Lewis 1995

On 10 June 1995 at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Donovan “Razor” Ruddock put him down with two right uppercuts inside the first minute. In round 6 he dropped Ruddock with a left hook, and a flurry led referee Ron Lipton to stop it. On 7 October 1995 in Atlantic City he met Lennox Lewis, Who’s Who number 29, who knocked him down in rounds 2 and 5 and twice in round 6 before Mills Lane stopped it.

After 1996

In February 1996 he tested positive for HIV before a scheduled fight in Nevada, and his licence was suspended. He later disputed the result. He had pleaded guilty to assault in 1993, and in 2000 he was sentenced in Arkansas on drug and weapon charges. He fought again in 2007, knocking out John Castle in round 2 in Chester, West Virginia, and had his last recorded professional win in February 2008, a round 3 stoppage of Matt Weishaar in Mexico. He died in Omaha, Nebraska, on 1 September 2013, aged 44.

Style, technique and the corner

How he fought

The left hook was his signature. The WBO called it a “mean left hook” in the Tillis fight, and it put Carl Williams down twice. Ray Mercer described a left hook and uppercut combination and said he was fast. He could finish with the right too: a right uppercut ended the Hipp fight. Against Foreman he showed he could box as well, using the jab and movement for 12 rounds.

The corner

Bill Cayton was his co-manager in 1993, and Bob Arum guided him to the Foreman fight. Tony Holden was his long-time promoter and friend. Don King, Who’s Who number 18, was reportedly grooming him for a fight with Mike Tyson, Who’s Who number 34 that never happened.

Stories people still tell

1. Spotted on ESPN.

   Frank Stallone saw him fight on television, and that led to Rocky V.

2. The broken jaw.

   He beat Joe Hipp in 1992 with a broken jaw and a broken hand.

3. The booed champion.

   He won the title from Foreman by boxing, not brawling, and the Las Vegas crowd booed.

Legacy

He finished with 48 wins, 42 by knockout, and all three of his losses came by stoppage. The International Boxing Hall of Fame’s Ed Brophy credited him with bringing excitement and energy to the 1990s heavyweight division. ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentary Tommy aired on 27 September 2017, and his son Kenzie Morrison boxes professionally.