Boxing: Morrison master of freak show

Glyn Leach watches two fighters who are prepared to stand up and be counted over Aids make winning returns in Tokyo

Yesterday's boxing promotion in Tokyo Bay passed by relatively incident-free. In the case of the headliner, George Foreman, the 47-year- old heavyweight in his third decade of top level boxing, this meant a 12-round decision over the reticent Crawford Grimsley in defence of the World Boxing Union title. For Tommy Morrison, making a controversial come- back after being diagnosed HIV positive in February, it meant a bloodless victory over a substitute opponent, Marcus Rhode, who folded without fuss in the first round.

Inevitably, the freak show value of Morrison's appearance upstaged that of the incredible fighting grandfather, who first won a version of the world title in 1973. Much had been hypothesised regarding the first fight to feature a boxer carrying the HIV virus. Nobody knew quite what to expect.

Every eye in the sparse crowd at the NK Hall was trained on Morrison's face from the opening bell, searching for the first sign of blood that might have brought an end to the contest. As it was, Morrison hardly took a punch in the one minute 38 seconds of action.

Had Morrison cut, the fight would have been stopped and his cornermen given one minute to staunch the bleeding. Had they failed, the contest would have been terminated to safeguard 24- year-old Rhode and the fight's referee, Frank Garza, of Detroit, who donated his fee to Aids charities in his home area. Garza did not, as had been predicted, wear protective goggles; instead he wore a tee-shirt publicising Aids awareness.

Rhode, who arrived in Japan only 18 hours earlier and fought jet-lagged, was halted after three times demonstrating an inability to avoid right- handers. Each time he dropped to the canvas, spelling the fight's end under the three-knockdown rule. The curiously emotionless Japanese crowd greeted Morrison's 40th knock-out victory in 50 fights (including three losses and one draw) with polite but appreciative applause.

Morrison, 27, was visibly relieved after returning to the ring following a 13-month absence and exorcising at least some of his demons in the manner he knows best.

"The intensity level was incredible," he said afterwards. "I got a lot of pressure off my shoulders. I think I might have taken one shot in there but I'm not sure - I had so much going through my mind."

He expressed gratitude to the Japanese, but more particularly to Rhode for providing the opportunity to kick-start financially his Knock-Out Aids Foundation for HIV positive children, which would receive the former WBO champion's share of American pay-per-view TV revenues for this fight.

"I tip my hat to him for having the courage to help me get the ball in motion," Morrison said. "This is a dangerous thing, no doubt, but I wanted to prove it could be a positive thing, also."

Rhode, whose $25,000 (pounds 16,000) purse for this fight equalled his remuneration from 16 previous contests, said that at no time was he worried by the risk of infection and that he would not be taking an HIV test.

"I had one four months ago when I fought in Louisiana," he said. "Tonight there were no cuts, no blood, so there's no need. I'm educated as to how hard it is to catch this thing through boxing. All I saw in this fight was the opportunity to prove myself against a world-class opponent and the chance to give my girlfriend and baby daughter the best Christmas ever."

Foreman's opponent, the 34-year-old former yoghurt shop owner, Grimsley, decided discretion was the better part of valour and thus lost a unanimous decision by wide margins - 119-109, 117-111 and 116-112.

"When you're in there with Big George, you soon discover that he hits pretty hard," Grimsley told the post-fight press conference. "But if you look, we're both wearing shades," he added, referring to the respective attempts to disguise wear and tear from the fight.

Foreman won easily, but looked rusty after 19 months out. When told that his timing was off, he replied: "Man, I've never had any timing to get off, I've never had any footwork to get on - all I've ever had is a punch."

But Foreman was unimpressed with his challenger. "It's tough to see a young man turn his back and run," he said. "I just can't chase a guy and hit him on the back of the head. I don't know where he got that tactic from."

He went on to express his admiration of Morrison, who had beaten him by using similar tactics in June, 1993. "Tommy did something very important today - he stepped into the ring and executed his profession," he said. "Now nobody can say whether it should have been done, can be done - Tommy did it.

"When something like this virus from outer space happens to mankind, we can no longer say they got it; we got to say we got it. That's the only way to beat this thing - together."

He said that given the right financial guarantee he would be happy to fight Morrison again. But the British-based WBU legislates against HIV positive fighters and would not sanction such a contest.

"Never, never, never, never," said the WBU President, Jon Robinson.