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Tommy Morrisons career reached its pinnacle on a hot June night in Las Vegas, when he stepped into the ring and beat George Foreman to become heavyweight champion. MLB Jerseys Outlet . It reached its nadir when he tested positive for HIV three years later. The last 20 years of the brash boxers life would be defined by extensive legal troubles, erratic behaviour and mounting health problems. Morrison would later claim that he never tested positive for the virus that causes AIDs, even as he was hospitalized during the last days of his life. Morrison died Sunday night at a Nebraska hospital. He was 44. His longtime promoter and close friend, Tony Holden, confirmed that "the Duke" had died, but his family would not disclose the cause of death. Morrison and his wife, Trisha, continued to deny that the former champion ever had HIV during the final years of his life. "Tommys a very stubborn person and he views things the way he wants to view things. Thats his right and privilege," Holden said. "All through his career, him and I would come not to physical blows but disagreements on certain things. We always ended up friends. That was Tommy. "Thats the way Tommy took off after he was told he was HIV-positive," Holden added. "When he first was told, I was taking him to seek treatment and to different doctors around the country. And then he started research on the Internet and started saying it was a conspiracy. He went in that direction and never looked back." The controversy, along with Morrisons rapid decline, overshadowed a stellar career. Morrison was a prodigious puncher whose bid to fight in the 1988 Seoul Olympics ended at the hands of Ray Mercer, who later dealt him his first professional loss. Along the way, Morrison became such a recognizable face that he was cast in "Rocky V" alongside Sylvester Stallone. Morrison won his first 28 professional fights, beating faded champions such as Pinklon Thomas along the way. He hit it big at the Thomas & Mack Center in the summer of 1993 — a unanimous decision over Foreman, then in the midst of his comeback — to claim a vacant world title. As with so many things in Morrisons life, the good was quickly followed by the bad. Morrison was in line for a high-profile bout with Lennox Lewis when he was upset by unheralded fighter Michael Bentt in Tulsa, Okla., not far from where Morrison was raised. He was knocked down three times and the fight was called before the first round ended. The loss meant a potential $7.5 million payday for a title unification fight simply vanished. "I zigged when I should have zagged," Morrison said afterward. "Its one of those situations you have to live with and learn from it. Ill be back." Morrison indeed came back, but he was never the same feared fighter. He beat a bunch of long shots and faded stars over the next couple of years before getting knocked out by Lewis in the sixth round. That fight happened in October 1995. By February, Morrison had tested positive for HIV. Hed been preparing for another fight that winter when his blood test came back positive for the virus that causes AIDs. Morrisons license was quickly suspended by Nevada, and the ban was, in effect, upheld by every other sanctioning body. Morrison said at a news conference in 1996 that hed never fight again, blaming his plight on a "permissive, fast and reckless lifestyle." His lifestyle never changed, though, even when he stepped away from the ring. He had already run afoul of the law in 1993, when he pleaded guilty to assaulting a college student. He also dealt with weapons charges and multiple DUI incidents over the years. Morrison was finally sentenced to two years in prison in 2000, and another year was added to his sentence in 2002 for violating parole. When he was released, Morrison said his HIV tests were in fact false positives, and he wanted to resume his career. He passed medical tests in Arizona — even as Nevada stood by its decision to suspend his license — and returned to the ring. Morrison fought twice more in his career, winning once in West Virginia and for the final time in Mexico. He finished with a record of 48-3-1 with 42 knockouts. Morrison started to fade from the public eye in the final years of his life. He tried to stay connected to the sport by opening a gym in Wichita, Kan., but the enterprise was short-lived. "If Tommy was fighting today, he no doubt would be a world champion," Holden said. "You have to look at who he was fighting in the 90s, the guys in that division were Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Riddick Bowe, Ray Mercer, George Foreman. Theres no one with that talent today. Tommy would absolutely dominate if he were in his prime boxing today." Wholesale Baseball Jerseys . Jagr had a goal and two assists, Andy Greene scored 43 seconds into overtime and Marek Zidlicky had two goals as the Devils rallied past the Washington Capitals 5-4 Saturday night. Cheap Nike MLB Jerseys . But the young forward is more than willing to shed a little blood if thats what it takes to make the team this season. "It caught me pretty good, dazed me for that shift, but I didnt want to be off the ice for too long," he said after practice, his lip still bleeding a little despite the plastic stitches holding it together. https://www.mlbjerseyschina.us/ .3 million qualifying offer to outfielder Michael Cuddyer on Monday. TORONTO -- Steve Tolleson is the only Toronto Blue Jay who will want to remember Wednesdays game. With his team trailing the Cleveland Indians by 13 runs in the ninth inning, the Blue Jays utility infielder came off the bench to make his big league pitching debut and secure the final out. "I wish the circumstances hadnt even been that way to get that chance but I guess any time you have a chance to go out and try to get an out in a major-league game thats a pretty special opportunity for anyone," said the 30-year-old Tolleson after the Indians pounded the Blue Jays 15-4 at Rogers Centre. "I didnt take it for granted," said Tolleson, who joked that he tried to stay "below the hitting speed" against the two hitters he faced. He yielded a double to Lonnie Chisenhall and got Mike Aviles to pop up. Tolleson, who said he pitched a couple of times late in blowout games in the minors in 2011 and 2012, said manager John Gibbons came up to him before the Cleveland ninth to see if he was willing to go in to pitch if needed. He relieved Neil Wagner, recalled earlier in the day from triple-A Buffalo, who had given up six runs on six hits in 1 1/3 innings. "He was battling out there and if I could save him a few pitches to help him get ready for his next appearance then thats what the team needed today," Tolleson said. Toronto shortstop Jose Reyes flipped the ball into the stands after the Aviles pop up but Tolleson said it was retrieved for him to keep as a souvenir. David Murphy was 5 for 6 with five runs batted in and Chisenhall was 5 for 6 with an RBI as Cleveland (19-21) had 22 hits off for five different Toronto pitchers before 14,068 fans. The Indians led 4-2 after six innings before pounding the Toronto bullpen to turn it into a laaugher. Cheap MLB Jerseys Nike 2020. "We were in that game going into the seventh inning," Gibbons said. "Then, of course, it exploded on us. Get that one out of our system and come back tomorrow." Toronto (20-21) closes out a nine-game home stand against the Indians on Thursday night. Dustin McGowans struggles at home continued. The Toronto right-handed starter was touched for four runs in four-plus innings, including a two-run home run by Carlos Santana. McGowan (2-2), making his eighth start of the season, gave up a run in each of the second and fourth innings before being chased by three straight hits including Santanas two-run blast in the fifth. McGowan is now 0-2 with 16 earned runs in 15 2/3 innings and 9.10 earned-run-average over four starts at the Rogers Centre this season. On the road, hes 2-0 with six earned runs in 23 1/3 innings and a sparkling 2.31 ERA in four starts. "It was just one of those nights where they were waffling the ball," McGowan said. "Sometimes you have to tip your hat to them. "All my pitches were fine tonight. I just got hit hard." Former Blue Jay Yan Gomes had a three-run homer in the ninth off Wagner to cap the onslaught. Meanwhile, Cleveland starter Corey Kluber (4-3) had a solid outing. The right-hander retired the first 13 Blue Jays he faced and finished the night yielding two runs, four hits and a walk while striking out nine over seven innings. Adam Lind had two of the Blue Jays eight hits while Jose Bautista, Brett Lawrie, Juan Francisco and Josh Thole each drove in a run. After Thursdays game, the Blue Jays go out on the road for three weekend games in Texas before heading to Fenway Park for a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox beginning on Tuesday. ' ' '