Many considered Tommy “The Duke” Morrison to be one of the most impressive boxers of his generation, having recorded a number of eye-catching victories against the likes of George Foreman and Donovan “Razor” Ruddock.
Believe it or not, in the 1990s there was a boxer who was considered to have a more powerful punch than Mike Tyson himself, but his story ended in tragedy.
Duke Morrison and his tragic story
Many were eager to see Morrison, who also starred in Rocky V as Tommy Gun, face Tyson in the ring, however, the fight never materialized.
But the Arkansas-born boxer, best known for his explosive left hook, saw his career plummet dramatically when he tested positive for HIV in 1996.
The diagnosis led to him being suspended indefinitely from his sport by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, just before he was due to fight Arthur Weathers.
While Morrison and his wife campaigned against the ban, claiming that the result was a false positive, the decision was upheld throughout the sport, which ultimately led to an abrupt end to the boxer’s career.
The decline of a rising star
Things got worse in 1997 when Morrison was convicted of drink-driving after an incident that left three people injured. He was ordered to spend time in rehab.
Two years later, Morrison received a two-year suspended sentence after being caught drink-driving once again. He was then arrested on charges of intoxication and possession of a weapon.
At the turn of the millennium, ESPN reported that the former boxer bought a cave in which he slept after convincing himself that the world would end in the year 2000.
While the world was not hit by the apocalypse, Morrison was eventually sentenced to two years in prison on the aforementioned drug and weapons charges, while he received an additional year for violating probation. When he was released, his health had begun to deteriorate.
Morrison tried to revive his boxing career, but it was in vain and in 2013, he sadly died at the age of 44. At the time of his death, he could not move without assistance.