Yesterday, James McKenzie Morrison, or as he is more commonly known, Kenzie Morrison, took to social media and broke the news—he has been diagnosed with stomach cancer.

“Good morning, everybody. I’m going to jump on here and give you a quick update,” Morrison said via a video message shared on Facebook. “As to my health, I’ve been kind of in and out of the hospital with some stomach issues and back problems for about a month. Just trying to get things ready. And yesterday I went to go have a CAT (computed axial tomography) scan done. And they came back and told me that I have stomach cancer.

“And they sent me straight down here to Tulsa (Oklahoma) and got me in on another CT and MRI last night, late. And today I’m to meet with the neurosurgeon to possibly do a back surgery on my back to help with the spine. And then after that, meet with the oncology team about what’s going on with my stomach.”

Morrison, who turned 36 last month, asked everyone to pray for his health and requested support to help him recover smoothly from a surgery. To that end, a GoFundMe page has been set up for the fighter, which seems to suggest that his family is trying to get him transferred to either Texas or Chicago, where he could be checked by a specialist. The funding effort has so far generated roughly $8,000 of the $16,000 target.

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While precise details surrounding Morrison’s ailments, or for that matter his medical history, remain limited, what is known is that he comes from a high-profile boxing family with a significant history of health issues.

It begins with his father, the late Tommy Morrison. Born in Gravette, Arkansas, Morrison Senior achieved mainstream fame after he defeated legend George Foreman, who passed away last year, in June 1993 for the vacant WBO heavyweight title. Though Tommy lost his championship a few months later, his boxing career, which lasted until 2008, saw him face a string of prominent names, including Ray Mercer, Donovan Ruddock and Lennox Lewis.

However, Tommy, who has been credited for his role as Tommy Gunn in Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky V, was forced to manage the later part of his career amid reports that he was suffering from AIDS. He had previously retired from boxing in 1996 after testing positive for HIV. After a period of declining health, the former heavyweight champion died at age 44 in 2013.

A decade later, the family suffered another setback when Kenzie Morrison’s elder brother, Trey Lippe Morrison, who was also into boxing, was involved in a car accident that resulted in serious injuries and put a major halt to his fighting career.

Against that backdrop, Kenzie Morrison’s latest medical update is understandably concerning.

Beyond his immediate health concern, Kenzie Morrison has carried on the boxing legacy that defined his family.

Kenzie Morrison: Forging his own path while carrying his father’s legacy

Making his professional debut on March 25, 2016, Morrison went on an eight-fight winning streak. Four years ago, headlining a card billed as “Sons of Legends” and promoted by legend Roy Jones Jr.’s promotions at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Morrison defeated Hasim Rahman’s son, Hasim Rahman Jr., via fifth-round TKO to secure the WBC USNBC Heavyweight Title.

However, a few months after that win, on October 22, 2022, Morrison lost his title by dropping a decision to Robert Simms on the Triller Fight Club bill.

Morrison bounced back from that setback and returned to the win column by securing a stoppage win over Nathan Bedlwell. It followed a first-round knockout victory against Jackson Doc Santos. That proved to be his last professional boxing fight, as Morrision later decided to switch to the increasingly popular world of bare-knuckle boxing.

On June 21 last year, he made his debut on Conor McGregor’s part-owned Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BFKC), where he stopped Alex Davis in the first round in Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena.

In the interim, Kenzie Morrison drew attention by calling out YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul. Taking aim at the former Disney star for avoiding a legitimate, heavy-hitting legacy fighter, Morrison was frustrated by the response he received from Paul’s team, who, according to Morrison’s claim, dismissed the matchup and reportedly messaged Morrison’s camp that they have “zero following.”

For now, the focus is on Morrison’s health as he prepares for the challenges ahead. Fans and observers, in the meantime, can lend him their support and encourage him to stay positive as he navigates this difficult period.