Former heavyweight champion and "Rocky V" co-star Tommy Morrison, 38, has been approved to return to the ring Thursday in a televised card at Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort, after being bounced out of boxing more than 10 years ago after testing positive for HIV.

Morrison believes it was a false positive and that he never really had the virus. He said today he passed a battery of blood tests and other physical examinations required to be licensed by the West Virginia Boxing Commission. Morrison (46-3-1) is a former International Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization heavyweight champion but has not fought since Nov. 3, 1996. He is scheduled for a four-round bout against John Castle (4-2) of Indianapolis, who last fought in October 2005.

"My health has been fine," said Morrison of Phoenix in an interview at the Mountaineer hotel, maintaining that blood tests continue to come up negative for HIV. "Nothing has ever changed. Other than them taking away my right to make a living."

He is joined on the card by heavyweight Joe Mesi of Buffalo, N.Y., who went two years without boxing after suffering a subdural hematoma in early 2004. He won a court battle in late 2005 against the Nevada Boxing Commission to resume his career. Mesi (33-0) is scheduled to face George Linberger of Akron, Ohio, in a co-feature bout from The Harv in Chester, W.Va. It will be televised by the Versus Network (formerly Outdoor Life Network).

Morrison and Mesi were approved today by the West Virginia Boxing Commission, paving the way for a card that includes Aliquippa's Verquan Kimbrough, Rankin's Monty Meza-Clay and Brookville's Jim Northey.

"There's no reason Tommy Morrison cannot be on our card. There's no reason for this commission to keep him out of the ring. Everything I've received indicates Tommy is going to fight," said Steve Allred, the West Virginia commission chairman, from his office in Charleston, W.Va.

The same for Mesi, who was not licensed to fight in the United States when he first returned. He began his comeback in Puerto Rico and has since fought in Montreal, Arkansas and Michigan. Mesi had a battery of examinations, like Morrison, and the West Virginia commission also reviewed previous medical records and documentation relating to both fighters. Allred added: "There is no material evidence before me that indicates Joe should not fight."

The card is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.