Guyana’s former world champion Vivian Harris (32-9-2, 19 KOs), now has his eyes set on another shot at the world championship belt after his latest upset win in Mexico. Harris, who took the fight at a late notice, won a 10-round majority decision over Jorge “Maromerito” Paez Jr. (37-5-1, 22 KOs) in a welterweight matchup two Saturday nights ago at the Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico.
The televised fight was the main event by Zanfer Promotions where two judges scored the bout 96-94, 96-94 for Harris, while the other Judge scored it a 95-95 draw. This is now the third straight win for Harris, who used his height advantage and experience to outsmart “Maromerito” in the fight.
Harris was due to fight unbeaten British welterweight Bradley Skeete earlier in the month on the undercard of a doubleheader featuring heavyweight rivals Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora in separate bouts. He was erased from the card when he allegedly failed a pre-fight medical and Skeete (15-0, 4 KOs) went on to face Christopher Sebire of France.
Harris was upset at the cancellation and felt that someone was behind the allegation and false results so he stayed in the gym and remained hopeful of getting his chance to prove himself in the ring. His hopes were not in vain as he was soon called to face Paez at short notice. Paez was originally supposed to fight former World Champion, the legendary Erik Morales, but he hurt his hand and pulled out of the bout thus paving the way for a replacement opponent, Breidis Prescott. Prescott, however, suffered a rib injury during preparation and also withdrew leaving the promoters to search for yet another option to keep the fight alive, and they settled with Harris.
Several top boxing writers including Dan Rafael of ESPN.com wrote critical pieces about the Guyanese hero calling him a shot fighter.
Rafael was particularly harsh about the Guyanese: “I don’t say that because I have read his medical reports. I say it because I’m not blind. Watch a recent fight. It doesn’t take a genius to know when a guy is not only done, but way past done and at risk of being seriously hurt because of the kind of hard head shots he takes with regularity,” he wrote.
However, against all odds, Harris took the fight to the younger, stronger and top-rated Mexican to steal a majority win and the hearts of those in attendance. His victory not only surprised the promoter whose charge Paez was seen as another Mexican superstar, but the entire boxing world as Harris looked a glimpse of his old self that won the championship strap.
The Guyanese is now 3-0 since redeeming himself from a string of losses and seems set to cause a stir among the welterweight contenders. Harris is now negotiating his next fight which may be at the Barclays Centre in his old New York neighbourhood.
