Tommy Morrison had one of the strangest homecomings in all of boxing when, after an opponent pulled out, he fought a replacement on less than an hour’s notice.
In 1993 Tommy Morrison handed George Foreman the penultimate loss of his career to win the WBO title and put his name in contention to fight fellow world champion, Lennox Lewis.
Following a career-defining victory over Foreman, who recently revealed what Muhammad Ali said to him after their fight, Morrison was scheduled to first have a homecoming bout against ‘Mercury’ Mike Williams, who was named the 1986 Prospect of the Year by The Ring magazine.
Williams was coming to cause the upset, but drama ensued instead when Morrison’s opponent refused to leave his dressing room.
Drunk heavyweight in the crowd steps up to keep Tommy Morrison’s homecoming alive
Williams reportedly refused to leave his changing room and fight after being asked to take a pre-fight drug test, leaving the event in utter chaos at the very last minute.
When all seemed hopeless for Morrison’s homecoming, in stepped Tim ‘Dough Boy’ Tomashek, then 35-10, who had been watching the fight for his birthday before hearing news of Morrison’s opponent falling through.
Tomashek had had multiple drinks, but in an effort to save the show got changed and entered the ring with Morrison.
The fight went as well as you might expect, and Morrison put a beating on Tomashek until the fourth round, where his corner withdrew him from the contest.
With Morrison’s WBO title on the line, this marks the shortest notice championship fight ever in boxing.
It also marks one of the most bizarre opponents for a championship fight, though is second to Shawn Porter, who will be facing an internet troll in a live-streamed match.
Tim Tomashek gives bizarre post-fight interview after facing Tommy Morrison
Following the fight, Morrison, composed, had the following to say of Tomashek:
“I think what he was trying to do was frustrate me a little bit but, y’know that might’ve worked three years ago but I think I’m showing signs of a mature much more dedicated athlete.”
However, when the mic went to Tomashek, who was all smiles despite the result, and he was asked: “You’ve been anxious to get out again, you didn’t think it’d be in this circumstance?”
This is what he had to say: “Oh no, jeepers creepers, not at all. Everybody at work doesn’t even probably know I’m [here]. […] Hello everybody, I love you mom and dad and everybody.”
When it came to his thoughts on Morrison, Tomashek said:
“Oh jeepers, well I’m a good-looking guy, can’t you see? But he was too strong, he’s very good, man.”
Another example of a recent late replacement was Josh Padley, an electrician turned boxer who faced Shakur Stevenson after Floyd Schofield pulled out last month. Padley has since signed a deal to become a full-time boxer, and won’t work as an electrician anymore.