Guyanese boxers who have fought for world titles
By Eion Jardine
Stabroek News
October 19, 2002
When Vivian Harris steps into the ring on Saturday in his quest to wrest the WBA junior welterweight title from Diosbelys Hurtado of Cuba in Houston Texas, the champion’s home town, he will be the 17th Guyanese born to challenge for a world title.
Of the other sixteen Guyanese-born professional boxers who have attempted such a feat only three have been successful and Harris could be the third under the golden arrowhead. This is how Guyanese boxers have fared over the years.
Mexico: Patrick Ford - Ford lost his first world title bid to Salvador Sanchez of Mexico on points on September 13, 1980. He then challenged Eurebio Redroza and lost by TKO in the 13th round on March 10, 1981 for the Featherweight title. Ford was Commonwealth, Central American and Guyana Featherweight Champion.
Las Vagas: Lennox Blackmore - On June 27, 1981 Blackmore suffered a TKO in round 2 of his fight with Aaron Pryor for the Junior-Welterweight title.
Blackmore became the first Guyanese boxer to win a Commonwealth title by defeating Jonathan Dele of Nigeria over 15th rounds in Nigeria.
Atlanta: Terrence Alli - On January 12, 1985, Alli lost to Harry Arroyo by TKO in the 11th round in his bid for the IBF Lightweight title. Two years later he fought Jose Luis Ramirez in France, losing a close decision for the WBC Lightweight crown. He also lost to Julio Cesar Chavez, being knocked out in the 6th round.
London: Dennis Andries - Andries who was born in Guyana on November 5, 1953, in a village of Buxton, and fighting out of London became the first Guyanese born to win a world title when he won the Light-heavyweight WBC title from J.B. Williamson on the 30th April, 1986. He went on to win back the title on two other occasions. Tony Willis on 21st February 1989and on the 28th July 1990 knocking out Jeff Harding in the 7th round. He was also the British champion.
Denver: Wayne Harris - On May 4, 1993 Harris lost to Reggie Johnson over 12 rounds for the WBA Middleweight title. Harris was the WBC Fecarbox and Latin-American champion in the Junior-middleweight and Middleweight divisions.
Frankfurt, Germany: Egerton Marcus - On March 19, 1994, Marcus, fighting out of the USA, lost his bid for the Light-heavyweight title to Henry Maske on points in Hamburg Germany. Ironically Marcus became the second Guyanese-born boxer to win a medal at an Olympic games. Marcus earned a silver medal at the 1988 Olympic losing the gold to Maske.
Argentina: Tony Marshall - On November 23, 1994, Marshall challenged Julio Cesar Vasquez for Junior-middleweight WBA title losing a close point decision. He also fought for the WBC Middleweight title losing on points to Francisco Castellejo of Spain on 21st July 2000.
Florida: Anthony Andrews - Andrews lost in his bid for the WBA Middleweight title to Jorge Castro on May 27, 1995. Referee Bernbie Soto stopping the fight in the 12th round, Andrews floored the champion in the 7th round, only the second time in 102 fights Castro was ever knocked down. Andrews was Bantamweight and Welterweight champion of Guyana and Feacarbox Middleweight champion.
Liverpool, England: Michael Parris - Parris lost to Englishman Richie Wenton in his WBO Super-bantamweight title bid in Liverpool on June 30, 1995. Parris also lost his attempt at the Bantamweight Common-wealth crown to Ray Minus of the Bahamas on points. He is the first Guyanese boxer to win an Olympic medal. A bronze at the 1980 Moscow games. Parris was also the Flyweight, bantam-weight and Featherweight champion of Guyana.
Nice, France: - Andrew Murray on August 23, 1995 lost TKO 4 for the WBA Welterweight title to Ike Quarty. Murray was cut causing the referee to stop the fight. Murray became the first Guyanese boxer, on October 15, 1993 to win a Common-wealth title in England, defeating Tony Swift TKO in the 6th round. He was also WBC Feca-box Welther-weight champion and Latin America WBA champion.
Phoenix, USA: Steven Frank - On January 27, 1996, lost to Bernard Hopkins KO 1 for the WBA world Middleweight title, becoming the shortest world Middleweight title fight in History.
London, England: Adrian Dodson - On December 19, 1997 lost TKO 6 to Ronald Wright for the WBO Junior Middleweight title. Dodson was amateur champion of Guyana and represent Guyana at Olympic games.
Las Vegas: Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis: February 17, 2001 won the vacant WBA welterweight title, TKO of James Page becoming the first Guyanese boxer under the Golden Arrowhead to win a world title. Lewis won the Weltherweight title of Guyana defeating Terrence Alli. He lost his world title to Ricardo Mayorga TKO 5 on 30th March 2002.
New York: Raul Frank - May 12, 2001. Lost vacant IBF world Welterweight title to Vernon Forrest over 12 rounds. Frank first fought for the world title on August 8, 2002 when the bout was declared a no-contest. Due to a cut in the 3rd round to Vernon Forrest.
Last Vegas: Howard Eastman - November 17, 2001 lost by a controversial decision for the vacant WBA Middleweight title to William Joppy. It was the first time Eastman fought in the USA. Eastman is British-commonwealth IBO in CBA and WBA in champion.
Italy: Wayne Braithwaite became the second Guyanese fighting under the Golden Arrowhead to win a world title winning the vacant World Boxing Council Cruiserweight crown knocking out Italian Vincenzo Cantator in the 10th round.
October 11, 2002 in Italy Braithwaite is currently the Light-heavyweight champion of Guyana. The WBC in title and the North American champion.
Guyana is proud of all the Guyanese boxers who has tried in ——- to wrest world titles and with Vivian Harris the best in his upcoming world title fight.
Note: The only world title division a Guyanese has never fought in is the Flyweight and the Heavyweight.