Morrison withdraws Texas license request

HOUSTON -- Former heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison has withdrawn his request for a boxing license in Texas, a television station reported Wednesday. Morrison was scheduled last week to have his second fight since attempting a comeback after an 11-year retirement following the discovery that he had tested HIV positive. Morrison maintains he has taken several HIV tests during his comeback bid and all have been negative. The bout with Dale Ortiz in a Houston hotel ballroom was canceled when state boxing officials said they didn't get the results of Morrison's lab tests in time. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation learned Tuesday that Morrison no longer wanted the license. "Tommy Morrison sent a letter to the agency and asked us to withdraw his application for a contestant's license," agency spokesman Patrick Shaughnessy told KRIV-TV in Houston on Wednesday. Shaughnessy said the letter did not detail why Morrison no longer wanted a Texas license. "His application was never complete. We asked for additional information and we never received it," Shaughnessy said. Pete McKinn, Morrison's adviser, said the request was withdrawn simply because Morrison is not going to fight in Texas. "If we decide to fight in Texas, we will do all of the medicals again. This time, we will come 10 days before the fight." Morrison, 38, returned to the ring earlier this year in West Virginia, knocking out John Castle in the second round. West Virginia athletic commissioner Steve Allred approved Morrison's participation in that fight after reviewing medical records and consulting with the Association of Boxing Commissions' medical review committee. On April 26, Texas officials said Morrison had been granted a boxing license in the state. They later said there was a "verbal agreement" to issue him a license, but that the agency could not actually grant one until it received the paperwork. Morrison won the WBO heavyweight belt in 1993 by outpointing George Foreman, but lost the title later that year. He was scheduled to fight Stormy Weathers when he tested HIV positive in February 1996.