There’s an article up on the positioning WBN (World Boxing Information) and a few stuff on FaceBook (Tony Holden, who previously promoted Tommy and considers him a buddy) that argues how late powerhouse Tommy Morrison, who gained the WBO heavyweight title in 1993, ought to no less than be on the poll for The Corridor of Fame.
The article, written by Phil Jay, wonders loudly why Tommy has by no means been eligible for induction (and compares the truth that Morrison has not been on the poll to the perplexing HOF absence of 1 Vinny Paz).
It’s a superb query. Is Tommy Morrison worthy of going into The Worldwide Boxing Corridor of Fame?
Once we think about Tommy’s skill, his pleasure worth, and, above all when it comes to significance, his wins over high quality opposition (in spite of everything, there have been many large and thrilling punchers in boxing, none of whom had been HOF materials just because they by no means managed to defeat an elite foe) – we see that “The Duke” might be as much as scratch.
Contemplate:
Morrison scored wins over George Foreman (a Corridor of Famer), Donovan “Razor” Ruddock, Carl Williams, Joe Hipp (one heck of a slugfest), and a light James Tillis and Pinklon Thomas.
Two of those wins stand out, in fact. Morrison defeated “Huge George,” successful the WBO heavyweight belt within the course of, with Tommy utilizing a lot of motion, talent, and brains to be one step forward of Foreman a lot of the means, whereas when a giant shot obtained via, Morrison took it effectively. Tommy additionally engaged in some of the unbelievable heavyweight wars of the Nineties, littered because it was with knockdowns and switching momentums. The massive win over Ruddock, which got here in 1995, actually earns Morrison factors right here.
Or does it?
Contemplate:
Tommy was the sufferer of one of many nastiest, most blood-curdling KO’s of the Nineties when Ray Mercer landed a volley of photographs as Morrison was defenseless on the ropes. For some, Morrison’s bubble as a handsome puncher/part-time film star (‘Rocky V’) and hype job had effectively and really burst. Later in his profession, Morrison was taken out rapidly by Michael Bentt, he obtained up from two knockdowns to carry Ross Puritty to a draw, and Tommy was stopped in one-sided vogue by Lennox Lewis. However that is cramming all of Tommy’s losses into one place. It ought to, in fact, be identified that Morrison, displaying actual power of character, got here again from the Mercer defeat to battle via some actual ache in beating Joe Hipp. Whereas after the Bentt and Puritty struggles, Tommy got here again to halt Ruddock.
Add all of it up, and yeah, Tommy deserves a spot in The Corridor. Nicely, possibly. Actually, as a lot as a rough-and-tumble man like Ricky Hatton deserves to be in. Some followers say the usual of entry into The HOF has dropped or has been lowered over time. Possibly so. However warriors like Tommy Morrison fought with sheer braveness and coronary heart each trip. And that counts for one thing. Not less than, it ought to do.
