Had More Power Than Tyson... One Punch Knockouts and the True Story of Tommy Morrison

Oh, and the Tommy Morrison couch will forever remain one of the most tragic figures in the hi

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of boxing in the 90s. The blonde giant with a chiseled silhouette was the embodiment of a knockout machine. Mind-blowing speed, right hands, devastating bursts and a million-dollar

punch

have fueled. It took him to the top of the sport, but the noted heavyweight's career was cut short in the prime of his potential, suddenly and irrevocably. Today we remember the legendary

power

and dramatic path of boxing's Great White Hope, born on January 2, 1969. Thomas David Morrison grew up in the American South, half Irish and half Native American, the future champion was a protégé of the nature itself.

Athletic talent determined his success in football and basketball, but the

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gift was revealed in the boxing gym where his father brought the 10-year-old boy, according to family tradition. I have always been quite exceptional in sports, but boxing is something I feel like I'm one step ahead of. The 15-year-old was so impressive in appearance that he fought adults using a fake ID forged by his mother in 1988, fresh out of Tommy's high school record surpassed 200 amateur bouts after graduation, 19-year-old Prodigy , won several regional tournaments; However, after a loss in the national Olympic trials to Ray Mercer, who would later take the golden Soul, Morrison decided to break the chains of unpaid boxing, being a supposed distant relative of movie star John Wayne, he took the nickname of his ancestors, the Duke, and in November 1988 he embarked on a journey to conquer the professional ring.

The six foot two inch tall kid weighing over 200 pounds was quite menacing, but what stood out the most was his patented left hook, none of the five initial opponents could survive the first three minutes until the sixth performance, dated February 1989, in which the Duke found a semblance of competition at the beginning of the fight against Treori. Ali Tommy ate some straight shots from long range. I'm sure he has Square's shoulder in response, he pivoted towards Thundurus' signature uppercut. Thunduru's bare right hands aggravated the situation because you simply went into good writing, real worry was going nowhere and you bravely withstood the attack for three rounds.

In the nine minutes, Mark remained in the line of fire for far too long. Here comes the hit, that's a delayed reaction in the fourth frame. Another clinch decided the outcome of the meeting. We are finishing. Yeah, well, that same night, the right hook. he became the weapon of choice and knocked down vis-a-vis twice to achieve a technical knockout. Well, okay, the canonical

punch

er style always aiming to send the opponent to the hospital did not disappoint in

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collisions. Morrison invariably broke into close quarters and unleashed hooks and punches. Uppercuts When summer came, he had piled up a pile of 11 unconscious bodies.

Morrison delights fans in his hometown of Kansas City with a two-round signing with Bill Caton, a famous trainer responsible for the rise of Mike Tyson, helped Duke's rise to the elite with a team full of professionals in En corner, the surging Prospect went on to a Title Conquest that justifies flattering comparisons with Iron. Mike Martin liked it because of the left hook in August 89. Morrison brutally punished the Torso for three minutes in hopes of crushing Mike Robinson in spectacular fashion and gaining maximum

power

. That punishment of Morrison Robinson's body blows, the first knockdown materialized in the last seconds of the round, where Robinson falls and before failing to score a KO with a body blow in the initial stretch, Tommy completed the job in the second big left hand and Robinson is in trouble again. huge body shots Steve Smoker why the next fight two weeks later followed the same schedule with the right hand followed by the left by Morrison and Shelby in September Rick Ennis with 15

knockouts

and 18 wins promised to stay away from the hard-hitting Hooks and without However, that was too difficult a task.

Dave Jacko and owner of 21 wins and 18 finishes tried to keep the distance on the opening kick. Tommy threw a couple of light jabs and made the opponent test his powerful punch. I have to face a right. MJ goes down and probably a leaping left hook turned into a perfect storm that put out Jaco's grill with a single touch. Duke's name started coming up in the title conversation in the first round. Tommy Duke Morrison comes to boxing naturally. He is related to John Wayne, whose real name was Marion Morrison. setting up Tommy for a shot at heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and it could be the grudge match of the century, confirming expectations.

Morrison made quick work of the experienced Harry Terrell and forced the referee to start the count in the second minute with a left hand. Tommy gasped. Mark with a long overhand but stopped the fight, another first round knockout. Terrell bravely endured the fall but was soon dangling from the ropes like a puppet with cut strings. Pro, the 20-year-old had 18 victorious performances, 16 of which ended in stunning annihilations. Duke was simultaneously proclaimed the Great White Hope of boxing. Tommy's charming charisma and debilitating power earned him

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than just athletic accolades. 27 pounds. A series of killer finishes drew unexpected attention outside the ropes.

The most impressed with Morrison's abilities was Sylvester Stallone, who invited him to play Tommy. Gunn in the upcoming Rocky 5. During pre-production, Duke fought twice to promote the film, now Morrison another for one of the contests, he came out wearing famous shorts from the franchise and Stallone himself was in the corner, it wasn't difficult for Tommy will reproduce his signature style on the big screen, plenty of left hooks and devastating right hands for viewers who like the big hitter and baby mama magnet, woke up as a star in an ocean full of beautiful women, can you estimate the number? of women, I would easily say one a day, you know, he never knew it, but I'm hungry like you, all I ask for is one chance and only one chance after being on set and resting for half a year combined. the newly created Tommy Gun returned in June 1990.

However, having broken his hand in a warm-up fight, Morrison spent four months on the bench in the second return, the previous injury not stopping him from adding another breakup to the portfolio he has. . a devastating pot that's it a month later against Mike AC the Duke scored An elegant drop with a right cross the perfect left hook closes the show that's how it should be that was a left hand in 1991 Tommy Gunn continued to gain momentum the crazy schedule of fights paid and in a span of six months he got four fierce stoppages. The victims were high caliber heavyweights.

Former WBC champion Pinkland Thomas survived a full round of blitzes, but a cut saved him from going out for second, the first man to go all the way. Tyson James Tillis couldn't withstand Morrison's pressure nor fell with every touch of the left hand, still trying to recover a good combination. Again from Morrison, a left to the left behind him, nothing after being knocked down twice, Tillis met his own demise in the Thus, in two and a half years, Duke eliminated 28 antagonists from the path and only four of they didn't need a head scan when things were resolved.

Tommy surpassed many world champions in popularity and became a contender for the bells a lot of people would be very sad if I said hey you know I fought for the Headway Camp because the world we don't want to fight for we want to fight for and win it in October 1991 on the 22nd. The one-year-old Morrison faced undefeated WPO champion Ray Mercer. Three years have passed since his amateur combat during this period. Mercer managed to win gold at the Olympics after turning professional, claimed the world boxing organization title and finished 12 of 17 opponents by knockout in At the beginning of the third round, Tommy almost did the job, I mean, He was trying to eliminate me, we hit me hard.

I've always been hitting a lot, but I ran out of steam at the end and started eating shots. The fifth round was marked. for one of the most brutal moments in boxing hi

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and he unloads on him and Tommy Morrison's arms get tangled in the rope so he can't fall, look at this, look, he's tangled in the room, oh brother, I mean , was one of the worst Kos I remember seeing, after a brief hiatus, Morrison entered the ring in February 1992. Four consecutive victories put him back in the title track, all via an overseas knockout, but as soon as he declared his high aspirations, Karma counterattacked.

At Tommy Gun in June Joe's hip gave him all kinds of problems. The always tough Native American had a granite chin that rose from the dead after a monstrous right flank broke his jaw and hand in the fight. Morrison dug deep and wrapped things up on the night due to injuries the quest for the throne had to be called off returning to form the Duke added three more stoppages to the resume and the streak reached eight in a row and there's the left hook and down for June 1993 Tommy had finally deserved a shot at the WBO crown, former undisputed world champion George Foreman accepted a fight for the vacant big gold.

George needed no introduction to his epic wars with Joe Frazier back in the '70s, we took it from George Foreman Hallman, not Foreman. Again, only the great Muhammad Ali found a way to stop him overseas, even two decades later Foreman was still considered one of the deadliest punchers of all time even though the public expected reckless fireworks. Morrison had the best tactical performance of his career, the most masterful piece of boxing in The Career of Tommy Tommy Gunn confidently overcame his rival and took the decision victory with this giant achievement. Morrison joined the Kings' elite heavyweight club, but subsequent events showed the unpredictable nature of fisticuffs; the first defense was scheduled for August 1993.

Rocky 5 co-star Mike. Williams was supposed to be in the opposite corner, the contest fell apart at the last minute when Williams allegedly refused to take a ped test and didn't leave the locker room. The night was saved by a pie-loving local officer, Tim Tomashek, according to popular belief. On his birthday, Doughboy came to see The Beloved champion and have a few pints jumping into the ring for a couple of thousand dollars. Tim loved every second of it. I'm not even kidding, he's trying to keep his left hand really high because he knows the hook is coming. his his uh his his moment here is not him and meanwhile Tommy Morrison starting Wagon the Duke didn't appreciate tamashek's antics and took him out of there in the fourth round, it's part of the reason they're hitting him so much harder with the left hand down.

Tim took the result very well and turned it into a minute of fame. Hello everyone from Green Bay, I love you, mom and dad, and everyone here on Tommy's side. A money fight with Lennox Lewis for the prestigious WBC belt was looming. The last stop would be. decorated former amateur Michael bowed out with a 10-1 pro record here we go from the start Morrison pressed Michael against the ropes and fired a left hook he survived and responded with the best combination he ever threw Tommy stood up and was sent to the ground seconds Later, the third fall turned out to be the last, it simply threw nothing but Haymakers at this time and Morrison in serious trouble under a reign of doubled punches, the Duke fell three times in just a minute and a half and lost due to the rule of three falls. the belt wasn't the only thing that went, although $8 million and a title shot against Lewis also went up in smoke.

Into the Blue foreigner the big salary The chase ended in vain, on the other hand, with youth still on his side, Morrison was able to return with a three-fight winning streak in 1994. This is the turning point in the Duke's career in July against Ross Purity, who would give Vladimir Klitschko his first defeat in the future. Tommy started things off well but the gas tank failed him and Morrison took a knee in the sixth round barely escaping the finish after collapsing in the tents, the Duke somehow survived to see the final bell and the meeting ended in a controversial tie.

This was a very close fight which is not a bad decision. Irreparable damage was done. Great White Hope was on a bender for half a year and became addicted to substances during that time. Tommy is a celebrity, he is a star, but he is also a little kid who has no idea how to handle that and starts surrounding himself with an entourage andthey call it We wake him up at one in the midnight and say Hey, you better come get your son, who's lying on the floor. You might want to get back before the media gets there, so we run and pick him up and throw them back. from a van and taken home, having recovered seven months later, he continued to rack up consecutive

knockouts

against questionable opposition.

I think the ending is justified before that, in June 1995, Tommy was offered a showdown with Donovan Ruddock for the vacant and meaningless IBC belt until recently, the Canadian was considered a top heavyweight with a sharp shot who rarely left fights at the mercy of the judge and a left hook that did not disappoint even at late notice, taking the opponent all the way. fours in the first minute, oh boy, for example, regardless of whether the Duke evened the odds with a standing knockdown courtesy of an uppercut, but still paid for it towards the end of the fourth round.

Ruddock got into trouble but managed to escape the fight theatrically. Finally in the sixth the Canadian hit a good blow and rushed to chase Morrison, come on. Tommy Gun smelled blood and ended the duel by TKO 10 more seconds after having survived the knockdown at the start of the fight, the Duke responded with a series of concussion bids as As usual, the iconic left hook became in the key to victory with four knockouts in a row. Morrison got a dream fight with Lennox Lewis with 23 knockouts and 27 wins. Linux was considered one of the most technical boxers in heavyweight, a year earlier he had lost his WBC title and was now challenging the American crown how to ease his way from the beginning Lewis controlled the distance and dissuaded the opponent from entering using a Power Jam slows down because this is the best shot.

The Duke was wasting energy and trying to bite back but in the second round the contest turned into a beatdown in the fifth Tommy was rocked by a right hook from the arms of Lennox Lewis and there is a Monumental. Uppercut, he fought virtually blind afterwards due to swollen bruises and was sent to the canvas again, being a factor so far since the knockdown. Morrison tried to recover in the clinch and was beaten with a precise left hook close to a stoppage, an excellent performance throughout. In the confrontation Lennox was killing and maintained an undeniable advantage the champion proved to be a warrior and only gave up the belt when the referee made the decision for him The championship still losing to a great fighter like Lewis was not the end of the world for However, the American, the terrible news that broke in February 1996 interrupted the career of the 27-year-old Morrison.

There was a certain time in my life when I lived a very permissive, fast and reckless lifestyle. They gave me more extensive tests. I was only recently informed that those tests confirmed that I tested positive for the HIV virus as an individual who had the opportunity to be a role model and did so as crazy as it sounds in November 1996, Tommy went to Japan, far away . of any athletic commission and Marcus Rhode performed there, who agreed to be the Duke's farewell opponent, he did not last two minutes with what Tommy Morrison is going through, this fight ended from then on, the Golden Boy went down the drain, alcohol, drugs and prison became. the new reality for the guy who had recently been compared to Frasier and Tyson disappeared for 10 long years only at the turn of the century the unrecognizable former champion got fed up and changed his destructive lifestyle in 2007 a shocking statement came out that Morrison could have been misdiagnosed, the latest test results were clear, it is difficult to say whether it was the result of intensive treatment that made it temporarily impossible to detect the virus or whether there was shady dealings, the latter is definitely not something you want to believe. mainly because Morrison now believes he never had HIV, the more I dug into it, the more I discovered that what I had been told was a load of nonsense, whether Tommy Dove, 38, dove deep into the Rabbit Hole conspiracy of at the time In which people expressed concern, Morrison had already obtained a boxing license and resumed his career when he returned, fans were baffled by the ugly breast implants and lousy physique.

Tommy had two professional appearances against rookies, both ending in an ending in which he even managed to fight. The increasingly popular MMA performed a couple of times on Indian reservations in the late 2000s. His health deteriorated and Duke finally hung up his gloves. During the last few years, Morrison was unable to visit the gym, the only place where he felt at peace. although he maintained good relations. With his sons following in his father's footsteps and becoming boxers, the brothers are strikingly similar to his father and both inherited devastating power. Complications from the disease became apparent in 2013 and by summer, Tommy could no longer move on his own and passed away on the first day of autumn at the age of 44. abroad in the mid-90s the entire world was at Morrison's feet the young heavyweights ambitions were complemented by a thunderous left hook his record has been immortalized with 42 knockouts out of 48 victories and he only lost on three occasions exclusively to worthy boxers unable to withstand stardom the two-time world champion burned in life like a rock star who lost the Olympic trials a big right hand and although the image of an exemplary citizen turned into ashes Tommy Gun left a glorious mark inside the ring yes and a good combination Again from Morrison, the left of the right behind the leopard, his tragedy could serve as a warning to Future Generations before he has a chance to grab a good combination and Mills Lane says don't do that again and there's the left hook and down. the hook is fine