PPV CARD FEATURES FOREMAN & MORRISON
HIV+ Tommy Morrison-George Foreman
Chiba, Japan– Returning from an 18-month layoff, George Foreman, 253 lbs., Marshall, TX, failed to gain a knockout against shifty Crawford Grimsley, 235, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, winning a UD 12 as 3,240 spectators watched. Scored: 119-108, 116-112 & 117-111. The 47-year old Foreman, now 75-4, 62 KOs, was too slow and couldnt catch the younger Grimsley, 20-1, 18 KOs, who stayed out of danger for 12 rounds. Both fighters ended the fight bloodied but there were no knockdowns.
HIV+ TOMMY MORRISON ON CARD TOO
HIV-infected Tommy Morrison, 228, Jay, OK, didnt have time to bleed or cause a scare by whacking out late replacement Marcus Rhode, 250, St. Joseph, MO, who was down three times for a TKO ending at 1:38. Morrison now at 46-3-1, 40 KOs, Rhode 15-2, 15 KOs. MORE on Tommy Morrison
to follow.
CANIZALES GETS SWEET REVENGE!
Former World champ Orlando Canizales, 126, Laredo, TX, captured the vacant IBA 126 lb. title and cleared up a previous controversial points one by forcing Sergio Reyes to quit 24 seconds into round ten. Canizales now 43-3-1, 32 KOs; Reyes 11-3, 3 KOs.
GRID IRON PLAYERS HAVE SHORT RUMBLE
Heisman Trophy winner and undefeated Alonzo Highsmith, 223.5, Missouri City, TX, went on the offense early and had Gastineau wobbling which brought about a standing 8-count and a later knockdown over ex-NFL All Pro player Mark Gastineau, 225, Medford, IL. The former pass rushing king of the NY Jets, Gastineau turned his back 20 seconds into round two and the match was over. Highsmith now 16-0-1, 14 KOs; Gastinaeu 15-2, 15 KOs.
HYSTERICAL SCENE ON LIVE TV
The card was televised in the US on PPV with Al Albert and Sean O’Grady of USA Tuesday Night Fights fame handling the on-air duties. The highlight, production wise anyway, was when O’Grady and Albert were doing their standup, this guy casually strolled right between them and the cameras!
FLASH FORWARD FROM 1996 TO MORRISON IN 2007
Wearing boxing shoes and five ouce gloves, Morrison drilled some hapless foe in a boxing match billed as an MMA event in Arizona. It was his last match of any jind until he died in 2013. This article was taken from the Professional Boxing Update magazine issue of November 10, 1996.
Professional Boxing Update Magazine, November 10, 1996 issue.
Thanks to Virgil Thrasher, publisher of Update and Flash magazines.
GEORGE FOREMAN, HIV+ MORRISON FLASHBACK