Boxer Tommy "Duke" Morrison: Dead?

[Jets4Life]

I keep hearing tons of rumors and supposed stories of Tommy "Duke" Morrison's death on tons of forums. One theory has it that he allegedly died in August 2012, and his wife is still cashing his disability cheques.

In case you have never heard of Tommy Morrison, he was the "great white hope" of boxing in the 1990's. He starred in Rocky V, and was a contender for the Heavyweight Championship, until he tested HIV+ in 1996.

The story is very bizarre. Morrison claimed to be free of HIV in 2007, and somehow convinced the state of West Virginia to give him a boxing license. He had a couple of fights (both wins), but recent pictures show him in horrendous shape.

He is telling anyone who will listen that HIV does not exist, and has stopped taking his AIDS medication. It is a big mystery in the boxing community, as he has dropped off the face of the earth, after having an active online presence.

Is he even alive?

[Jets4Life]

We'll he's dead now.

I just don't get the logic of someone refusing to accept their medical condition. Morrison contracted HIV sometime between 1994-95. To the bitter end, he denied he had HIV. The only time he was on AIDS drugs, was while he was in prison. He could have lived to be 75.

I'm amazed he lived this long.

[Fusebox]

He tested negative for HIV according to multiple third party testing agencies in the mid 2000s. Bizarre indeed.

[Jets4Life]

Originally Posted by Fusebox

He tested negative for HIV according to multiple third party testing agencies in the mid 2000s. Bizarre indeed.

A bunch of BS. Morrison cheated the tests, and often went to sketchy medical clinics to do so. He had HIV for nearly 20 years, and died from full blown AIDS.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Jets4Life

I'm amazed he lived this long.

Magic Johnson is still going strong and it's a matter of how long you can go from being HIV positive to having full blown AIDS.

[Jets4Life]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Magic Johnson is still going strong and it's a matter of how long you can go from being HIV positive to having full blown AIDS.

Only if you listen to legitimate medical professionals, and take HIV medication. Magic Johnston has always took his HIV medication, and is in his 50's. He contracted the virus in 1991.

With the exception of a brief period of time in the late 90s/early 2000s (while he was virtually forced to in prison), Tommy Morrison denied he had HIV, and even went as far as to tell anyone who would listen that HIV did not cause AIDS, or even exist.

Today, the life expectancy for an HIV+ individual, who takes medication, is 75 years. Morrison could have lived for another 30+ years, but was too stupid and/or proud to listen to the medical community. That is why he is six feet under.

Another thing I found interesting, is Morrison knew he had the virus before he was even tested. Before a fight in Nevada in 1996 (the only state that did HIV testing on Boxers at the time), he used every excuse in the book NOT to give blood for the test, before finally relenting when he realized there would be a huge scandal if he forfeited the fight due to refusal to give blood.

It's quite conceivable that Morrison could have had the HIV virus for years, before going to Nevada to fight. Perhaps as early as 1993, as he avoided the state of Nevada, since his WBO title victory over George Foreman. He also had unprotected sex with quite a few women, after it was revealed he had HIV, thus, putting their lives in danger as well.

[CaptainCrunch]

He was a ######bag of monumental proportions and the worst actor in any Rocky Movie ever.

the guy was running around having unprotected sex with woman while he had the virus, I'm amazed he didn't rack up a body count.

Not much to mourn.

[Jets4Life]

What's with these HIV/AIDS denialists anyway? You would think that watching the ones that have the virus, and start dying within 10-15 years would put an end to the ridiculous notion that HIV/AIDS is relatively harmless. I recall hearing about a woman who got pregnant while HIV+, refused to take anti viral medication, so her child ended up infected, and died a short time later.

Morrison could have left a great legacy, if he become a spokesman for the battle against HIV/AIDS. Instead, he blamed everyone, but himself. Shame, really...