Tommy David Morrison (January 2, 1969 – September 1, 2013), nicknamed The Duke, was an American heavyweight boxer and a former World Boxing Organization champion. He lost only three out of a total of 52 professional fights. Morrison appeared in the 1990 Sylvester Stallone boxing film Rocky V. Morrison retired from boxing in 1996 when he tested positive for HIV.Morrison attempted a comeback in 2006, claiming he had tested negative for HIV. In August, 2013, Morrison's mother announced that her son was in the final stages of AIDS, and he died on September 1, 2013.
WBO heavyweight title, Regional Heavyweight Title – Kansas City Golden Gloves (1988)
Movies
“Rocky V” (1990)
Star Sign
Capricorn
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Quote
1
[on how he sexually-contracted HIV]: "Wilt Chamberlain had nothing on me. Infidelity was one of my biggest battles in life. I couldn't overcome it. It probably helped my first marriage crumble".
2
(On boxing): "It was a life changing experience. Very interesting and something I look forward to doing again. Acting is a different challenge."
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Fact
1
Currently lives in Sparta, Tennessee, where he is writing his autobiography. [May 2006]
2
Making a boxing comeback. [February 2007]
3
Father of 4 sons.
4
From the age of 13 to 19 Tommy entered every tough man contest he could. Winning 49 fights out of the 50 he participated in. During this time starting in December of 1976 he also was fighting amateur boxing matches. In 1980 he also won the Jr. Olympics. He continued this until 1988 where his total of amateur fights was 242 with an impressive amount of wins which was 222 with only 20 losses.
5
Since 2006, he has claimed that his HIV test was a false positive.
6
Made an extremely brief cameo in the film, They Live (1988), in 1988.
7
Always wanted to act, but fell into boxing because of his mother's wishes. There was so much success in the family with boxing that she encouraged him to compete.
8
Originally aspired to be an actor, but with all the boxers in his family going on at that time, his mother pressured him to try out for the Golden Gloves. He won. He was 25-0 before he realized that boxing was something he wanted to do full-time.
9
In 1988, he won the Kansas City, Mo., Golden Gloves, advanced to the National Gloves in Omaha and got invited to the western Olympic trials. He came up short in Concord, Calif., where he lost a split decision to heavyweight Ray Mercer, who went on to win a gold medal in Seoul.
10
Seeing the Sylvester Stallone classic, Rocky (1976), was what really inspired him to go pro with his boxing.
11
In 1988, his senior year, he won the Kansas City Golden Gloves. In the Olympic trials, he advanced to the finals and lost to Army Sergeant Ray Mercer, eight years his senior.
He won three fights in 1995, before meeting Razor Ruddock for the IBC Heavyweight Championship.
14
In 1989, Morrison had 19 wins, 15 by knockout. Among the fighters he had beaten were former Mike Tyson opponents Lorenzo Boyd, Dave Jaco and Lorenzo Canady, as well as former George Foreman opponents Steve Zouski and Ken Lakusta.
15
He won the WBO Boxing Championship from George Foreman in 1993. He lost the championship to Michael Bentt in 1994.
16
He has claimed to be the great-nephew of John Wayne.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Cybill
1996
TV Series
Leo
Rocky V
1990
Tommy 'Machine' Gunn
They Live
1988
Dave - Resistance Fighter (uncredited)
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
HBO Boxing
2013
TV Series documentary in memory of - 1 episode
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
ESPN: The Magazine at 10
2008
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
2007
TV Series documentary
Himself
The Opponents
2006
Video documentary short
Himself
ESPN Outside the Lines
2006
TV Series
Himself
ESPN Friday Night Fights
2006
TV Series
Himself - Audience Member
Wide World of Sports 35th Anniversary Special
1996
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1993
TV Series
Himself - Boxer
Evander Holyfield vs. George Foreman
1991
TV Movie
Himself
ESPN Top Rank Boxing
1989
TV Series
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs
2017
Documentary post-production
Oklahoma Sun
2016
Himself
Biography
2011
TV Series documentary
Tommy 'Machine' Gunn
ESPN Friday Night Fights
2010-2011
TV Series
Himself
Known for movies
Rocky V (1990) as Tommy 'Machine' Gunn
Wide World of Sports 35th Anniversary Special (1996) as Himself
$10,000
