Vivian Harris flattened in first round by Jessie Vargas

Apr 10, 2011 Sports

Jessie Vargas (right) punishes Vivian Harris during their bout

Former World Boxing Association (WBA) junior/welterweight champion, Vivian Harris suffered a humiliating first round knockout to Jessie Vargas when the two fighters squared off at the Buffalo Bill’s Star of the Desert Arena, Prim Nevada Friday night last.
A report in fightnews.com stated that the unbeaten Vargas (15-0, 8 KOs) attacked from the very first gong and had the former Guyanese world champion reeling from the onslaught.
The report further stated that at the end of the lopsided first round, Harris returned to his corner in a dazed state and when the bell sounded to start the second, indicated to the referee, Joe Cortez, that he had had enough.
Harris’ record now plummets to 29-6-1 with 19 KOs and once again raised questions of whether he should continue in the sport that has brought him world fame.
In Harris last bout he had suffered a humiliating third round knockout to Victor Ortiz and when asked about his desire to continue in the fistic sport had said that he is not yet ready to hang up his gloves.
The former world champion was at the time speaking to a NY journalist on the issue of his future in the sport that has earned him celebrity status.
Back then, he had suffered a one-sided third round blowout against world rater, Victor ‘Vicious’ Ortiz in Los Angeles, CA as part of an HBO pay per view telecast. Harris was dropped four times and was unable to work his way back into the fight before the referee waved the proceedings off at 45secs into the round.
Further, prior to the Ortiz bout, Harris, who was once considered an elite junior welterweight, lost a controversial fourth round TKO to Lucas Matthysse and even before that bout he was engaged in a scary no contest against Noe Bolanos in 2009 and left the ring on a stretcher following a grotesque clash of heads.
Of some significance, it must be remembered that Harris has been sent to the hospital after two of his last three fights for varying injuries and is without notable victory since 2007. At the end of the Ortiz bout he had vehemently debunked claims that he was washed up and adamantly asserted that he is was not yet ready to call it quits.
“People just like to talk and they don’t know boxing,” the always animated Harris had exclaimed when the question was posed. “This is a dirty and crazy sport. I was forced to fight at the 140 lbs limit and I can’t make that weight anymore. I am going to continue as a full fledged welterweight and you will never see me fight below 147 pounds again!” he had asserted then.
The former Guyanese world champion stuck to his promise and moved up to the heavier class but was unable to make the desired impression.
Harris was being handled by Oscar De LaHoya, the head of Golden Boys Promotions and the pundits felt that after his humiliating loss to Ortiz he would have needed to turn in a better showing in future fights. The results of the Vargas fight have left a big question mark on his future in the sport.

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