Did ESPN Withhold Incriminating Tommy Morrison Footage from ’30 For 30'?

This past week, after an earlier premiere online, “Tommy,” the ESPN “30 For 30” installment about boxer Tommy Morrison, made its television debut. It’s a competently made documentary, but it often stops short of trying to get inside the dark place that was the late fighter’s head, abruptly shifting topics when he starts to look bad.

When it comes to the event that ended up defining Morrison’s career, the HIV diagnosis that retired him, “Tommy” mostly sticks to the long-held narrative: That Morrison first tested positive in 1996 before a scheduled fight with Arthur “Stormy” Weathers, his first with Don King as his promoter. It does add that he had confided in his mother beforehand that he suspected that he was sick, as well as the probable way he contracted the virus (repeatedly having sex right after injecting an some kind of drug into his penis), but that’s it.

There’s actually significantly more to it, and by all rights, ESPN should know that. As past “30 For 30” documentaries have shown, their raw footage from classic sporting events, interviews, and notable newscasts can be a ripe source for footage. Naturally, any “30 For 30” director worth their salt should be combing the network’s archives for any interesting footage of their subject…right?