Former Boxing Champ & 'Rocky V' Star Tommy Morrison Dead at 44

Tommy Morrison, former WBO heavyweight champ who played Tommy "Machine" Gunn in "Rocky V," has passed away at 44 after a long battle with AIDS.

Morrison's longtime boxing promoter, Tony Holden, tells TMZ Morrison had been in the hospital for several months battling an illness. He died peacefully with his wife by his side.

Morrison first tested positive for the HIV virus back in 1996, effectively ending his boxing career. He would later deny ever having the disease or that it even existed.

Morrison starred in "Rocky V" in 1990, and in 1993 he defeated George Foreman for the heavyweight championship.

Source: tmz.com