WBA Orders Harris To Fight M'Baye
By Scott Shaffer
Fightnews.com
November 5, 2002

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Georgetown's Vivian Harris looks to be headed towards a bout with undefeated Souleyman M’Baye of France in defense of the WBA junior welterweight belt. “When the WBA championship committee granted a special permit to Diobelys Hurtado to fight Harris, there was a condition attached, that the winner of that fight would have to defend the title within 120 days against the # 1 Mbaye,” said WBA executive George Martinez. Harris stopped Hurtado in the second round in October to earn the WBA belt.

“We will respect the WBA’s wishes and will try to make this fight as soon as possible,” said Carl Moretti of Main Events, Harris’ promoter. Meanwhile, there is no shortage of victory celebrations in Harris' honor. On Tuesday night, a dinner party will be thrown for Harris at Nyla, a Manhattan restaurant. A small gathering will be held at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn on Wednesday, and then Harris and Guyana’s third world champion, WBC cruiserweight Wayne Braithwaite, will make a triumphant homecoming to Guyana on Thursday. The pair is expected to be greeted by a huge parade. The previous two Guyananese world champs were Andrew Lewis and Dennis Andries.