I was chugging beers in the stands when I was picked to fight for a world heavyweight title

Tim Tomashek became the most unlikely of world title challengers when he was thrust into a fight with Tommy Morrison on 90 minutes’ notice.

That night, in August 1993, Tomashek had been watching the undercard from the stands, chugging beers and chowing down on fast food, when he was informed that his services would be required.

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The 35-10 Wisconsin gatekeeper had been asked to attend the event on standby over fears that Morrison’s opponent, Mike Williams, would pull out of the fight.

Concerns arose when Williams, who appeared opposite Morrison in the Rocky V film, no-showed several pre-fight media events.

And sure enough, with less than two hours to go until the opening bell, Williams caught cold feet, resulting in Tomashek getting the late call-up to challenge for Morrison’s WBO heavyweight title.

Recalling the events that transpired, Tomashek told Boxing News years later: “I was done with work, and I got a call.

“They said: ‘This guy [Mike Williams] isn’t making the press conferences.’ 

“They were getting a bit nervous, and they wanted a replacement in case this guy took off.

“My manager, Pete Susens, told me: ‘You will get $2,500 just to turn up.’ I went straight to the airport…

“Mike Williams was in the arena, and I thought: ‘Nobody pulls out of a world title fight.’ He pulled out an hour before!

“I was sitting in the crowd, drinking a beer. All of a sudden, I see Pete running towards me. 

“He said: ‘Get back to the hotel, you’re fighting Tommy Morrison for the heavyweight championship of the world in an hour!’

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“I said: ‘Let me finish my beer first.’

“I went back to the hotel and got the trunks I wore from the fight before.

“They still had blood on them and didn’t smell too good –  That’s why Tommy kept away from me for a couple of rounds!

“I wasn’t the biggest puncher, but I knew I could hang with people. I was a defensive master, pretty stylish. Don’t laugh!” 

Story of the fight

When the fight got underway, it quickly became clear that Tomashek was significantly overmatched.

He used all of his veteran guile to stretch out the beating for four rounds, but after being dropped by a left hook, his corner made the compassionate decision to pull their man out on his stool.

Tomashek was paid $40,000 for his efforts and became a cult hero overnight.

A few days after his defeat to Morrison, Tomashek appeared as a guest on The Late Show with David Letterman, and would attract a respectable crowd to his remaining fights up until his eventual retirement in 1996 with a 53-12 record.