ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, September 20, 1996 TAG: 9609200042
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: MIAMI
SOURCE: MICHAEL KATZ NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
TOMMY MORRISON WANTS to help children who are infected with the AIDS virus, and George Foreman says he might help him do it - for the right price.
George Foreman stood up for Tommy Morrison on Thursday by saying again he would be glad to fight his 1993 tormentor.
Morrison, attempting to become the first boxer who has tested positive for HIV to fight in this country, announced Thursday in Tulsa, Okla., that since the virus ``cannot be transferred in the ring,'' he would like to come back ``for one last fight.''
He did not name a date, site or opponent, but said the bout would be ``to raise a large sum of money'' for children who are discriminated against because they have the disease.
Foreman, in Florida to publicize his own comeback fight, Nov.2 in Tokyo against Crawford Grimsley, said Morrison had every right ``to earn a living.''
``Just because he has the virus, MasterCard, Visa and the electric company don't send him a card saying you're not going to get any more bills. I'll fight him, and try to knock him out,'' Foreman said.
In the aftermath of Morrison's positive HIV test in Las Vegas, many states rushed to initiate testing for fighters. But whether states have the right to bar HIV-positive fighters has never been tested in the courts.
``Not in America,'' Foreman said. ``All you have to do is get a good lawyer.''
Some states, including Morrison's native Oklahoma, do not test for the virus.
Foreman said the boxing commissions should get together and ``find ways to make it safer'' to fight with the virus.
``They came up with ways for doctors to do surgery on people with the virus,'' Foreman said.
In Tulsa, Morrison said he has spoken to many ``experts'' and ``there has not been one documented case'' of the virus being transferred in the ring.
Harold Lederman, a longtime fight judge, said he ``absolutely'' would be willing to officiate a Morrison fight. Lederman also said he likes to ``work close,'' leaning on the fighters to break clenches.
``I believe there's minimal risk,'' said Lederman, who also is a pharmacist. ``It can't be as risky as working at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem for 10 years and voting against the house fighter.''
Morrison said his ``last fight'' would be to raise money for children with the virus, children he said too often were discriminated against. He and his longtime promoter, Tony Holden, founded Knockout AIDS to help such children.
Holden was not at Morrison's news conference because, as he said in Thursday's editions of the New York Daily News: ``I don't know if I'm in favor or against it. I just need some time. I need to sort things out.''
Foreman said Morrison never should have rushed to announce his retirement. In February, Foreman said he would be willing to fight the infected boxer, who outpointed him for the World Boxing Organization heavyweight title in 1993.
``All it would take is a promoter to put up a proper sum of money,'' Foreman said Thursday. ``I'm not going to do [Tommy] any favors.''
In Tulsa, Morrison's lawyer, Stuart Campbell, mentioned Ross Puritty as a possible opponent. Puritty, a former sparring partner who held Morrison to a draw in 1994, said he would love the match.
``I think HIV is not as easy to catch as everyone says it is,'' Puritty told the Tulsa World newspaper. ``I don't plan to have sex with the guy.''
If Morrison were to have more than ``one last fight,'' Foreman would be willing to work him into his own schedule. He said after the Tokyo date, he planned to have at least two other fights.
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Former heavyweight fighter Tommy Morrison announcesby CNBhis return to boxing. Morrison, diagnosed with the HIV virus this
year, wants to fight one more bout for charity.