How Did I Happen to miss the Cure for HIV?
Boxer Tommy Morrison, who tested positive for HIV over a decade ago has now passed the test with a negative result and been cleared to fight.
Fighters who test positive for HIV or Aids are not permitted to compete in the US, fighters must have a negative result in order to compete in boxing, kick boxing, mixed martial arts - essentially all combat sports where both parties could end up with opens wounds thereby increasing the chance to pass the virus.
Morrison tested positive in 1996 and was prohibited from fighting in the US, he did fight professionally one more time on foreign soil before what everyone thought would be his early retirement, until just recently when Morrison was licesned to fight in West Virginia after receiving a negative result on his latest HIV test conducted in Arizona.
If it’s been so long since you’ve seen Tommy Morrison in the ring that you can’t remember if he was even worth watching you can take a look at this:
In his hay day Tommy was an exciting fighter to watch, a fighter that could bring a bout to a close by way of knockout in a matter of seconds, but I’m really not sure about this whole situation.
Morrison maintains that the original test was a false positive, the people present at the time of the test in question stand by the original results - So what happened?
I’ve been saying for quite some time that the Heavyweight division has needed some new blood, and I meant new blood, not potentially tainted blood. In my opinion, if there is any question as to whether Morrison has HIV he should be kept from the ring for the safety of all parties involved. In all likelyhood, no title holder or top contender would agree to step into the ring with him after the original test more than ten years ago came up positive.
If Morrison’s 1996 was incorrect I feel bad for the fact that it ruined what could have been a pretty decent boxing career, but if there is even the slightest doubt then all necessary precautions should be taken to maintain the safety of the fighters and unfortunately for Tommy that means continued retirement.
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