Vivian Harris: The Hidden Champion.

This Saturday’s fight headliner consists of Floyd Mayweather and Arturo Gatti, for Gatti’s WBC belt. Aside from that, did you know another world champion was sharing the same fight card? Vivian Harris, does the name ring a sign of recognition in your brain? He is the WBA world champion and

suffers from a lack of celebrity, and to make it even worse, he does not receive his just due. Not only in the sense of the sports world not granting him championship level coverage, but also in the sense of his own fellow weight class members. When asked about Harris in an interview, Floyd Mayweather clearly stated with a surprised look that he did not know who Vivian Harris was. A blow heavier than any left hook to the ribcage. It is something amazing to see a pound-for-pound educated boxer not know who holds the WBA welterweight crown, a respectable belt. Harris is an impressive boxer with a skillful consideration for sharing counter shots and beating down his opponents. This man defeated the seasoned Diosbelys Hurtado for the WBA junior welterweight title in two rounds. Why haven’t the huge dump trucks of cash arrived? Why is Harris’s photograph not gracing the cover of a pay-per-view poster or a thirty-second commercial, showing Harris staring down his opponent on your television?

This is a world champion whose reign started on July 16, 2002. He has entered the ring with the likes of Souleymane M’baye and had back-to-back fights with Oktay Urkal. These fighters are owners of solid records, but do you really know these fighters? Will you hold a conversation in the locker room or the ball court over Harris fighting Urkal? I hold no disrespect for any fighter who is strong enough and willing to enter the ring for a mental and physical battle. A world champion is the pride of the sport, he is the definition of ambition towards his fellow weight class fighters and with that being said, do you consider this the matchmaking for a real champion?

Harris is truly a world champion with dedication on fighting the best. Not only does Harris have the task of training with relentless dedication for his upcoming fight in the ring, the man also has to self-promote more than any other champion does. He does not have the mass television appeal to support a fight card on his own, but he is a champion and it seems he takes the fights that come his way without being fussy.

Another benefit of a champion is his selection on having a say on whom he is going to fight. In a sense, it seems as if Harris is fighting whatever and whoever is coming to him, with little volition. The champion has to stay busy and in the public eye, even when the public is ignoring him. Why hasn’t Miguel Cotto, Floyd Mayweather or even Arturo Gatti called out Harris? Certainly, it would move some tickets with just their names and if Harris is a no moneymaker champion as some like to believe, then subtracting his title from him should be easy, or is Harris the hidden diamond in the junior welterweight division?

Harris’s record stands at twenty-five wins and one loss with seventeen knockouts, his only loss being a decision earned by Ray Oliveira. Now, fighters are always consuming students and are not that busy to disregard who’s who in their division. They clearly know who Harris is and come this weekend, I expect Mayweather to say he does not know who Harris is once again, despite him being on the same fight card. At least Gatti, Cotto and Ricky Hatton recognize Harris, they have not invited him to fight, but they are considerate when speaking on Harris.

I am asking readers to take heed and understand that we have a bright champion right under our eyes. Pay close attention, because he fights as if he has no belt. Now, those are the best champions that can inspire you into ordering their pay-per-view matches or watching them on your cable television.

Shaun Rico LaWhorn can be reached at filmmaking_mentality@msn.com