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Ray Mercer Vs. Tommy Morrison
Ray Mercer vs. Tommy Morrison, billed as "Test of Courage", was a professional boxing match contested on October 18, 1991 for the WBO Heavyweight Championship. Background The fight was a matchup between two undefeated, up-and-coming heavyweights. Thirty-year-old 1988 Olympic Gold Medalist Ray Mercer had won all 17 of his previous fights (12 by KO) since turning pro in 1989 and was coming off a victory over Francesco Damiani that made him the WBO Heavyweight Champion, though the WBO title did not carry nearly as much prestige as the WBA, WBC and IBF versions of the title. Meanwhile, 22-year-old Tommy Morrison was a perfect 28–0 with 23 victories coming by way of knockout. Morrison had four prior fights in 1991 including first round victories over former heavyweight contenders James Tillis and Pinklon Thomas. Initially, the bout was set to take place on August 9, but Morrison had to withdraw after suffering a deep cut while sparring. Mercer contemplated facing a substitute opp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tommy Morrison
Tommy "The Duke" Morrison (January 2, 1969 – September 1, 2013) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2008, and held the WBO heavyweight title in 1993. He retired from boxing in 1996 when he tested positive for HIV. Morrison is also known for his acting career, having starred alongside Sylvester Stallone in the 1990 film ''Rocky V'' as Tommy Gunn. Morrison had previously attempted a comeback to boxing in 2007 when the Nevada commission lifted the indefinite worldwide suspension in July 2006. His comeback was shortlived and never materialized to anything significant beyond two fights. Morrison retired again in 2011. In August 2013, Morrison's mother announced that her son was in the final stages of AIDS, and he died on September 1, 2013 at the age of 44 from sepsis, septic shock, multi-system organ failure and, ultimately, cardiac arrest. Early life and amateur career Morrison was born in Gravette, Arkansas. His mother, Diana, was Native Americans in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |