"Once God makes a way for you no one can stop you achieving your goal," Shawn Harris
By Michael DaSilva Shawn Harris, brother of the new World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Association's (IBA) junior welterweight champion, `Vicious' Vivian Harris, is thanking God for his younger sibling's achievement.
Speaking to Stabroek Sport yesterday while celebrating his brother's victory with friends on the Regent Street pavement, Shawn Harris, a former amateur lightweight boxer, now clothes vendor said, "God is so wonderful, I prayed all the time and even fasted all day on Saturday, I knew he would have won. Once God makes a way for you, no one can stop you achieving your goal".
"Vivian told me since he won the New York Golden Gloves a few years ago, he was going to win a world title" Shawn Harris recalled.
Asked about his reaction while viewing the fight Saturday night, Shawn Harris said "I found myself trembling, but right away I started to pray to the father, I said God, just touch my brother, and he (God) did, I know he did".
"When Vivian caught him with a left hook in the first round, I knew right away the fight would not last much longer, but the bell ring" Shawn said.
Shawn said Vivian who is the youngest of six brothers, always wanted to become a boxer, but himself (Shawn) and the others never wanted him to get involved in the sport "when he was young, we as bigger brothers did not want him to take up the sport, when we used to train under our bottom house, he would ask to join in, but we never allowed him, but he would wait until we were not around and train, using the heavy bag and other equipment we had" Shawn recalls.
Vivian is the younger brother to former world rater Wayne Harris who now resides in Canada.
According to Shawn, his father, Herman Harris, who was a Warrant Officer in the Guyana Defence Force, decided to enlist Vivian in the army, where he learnt discipline, while at the same time prepare for life on the streets of Guyana.
"he learnt to be rough and tough. The army paved the way for him" Shawn stated.
Shawn said he is however disappointed that he was not granted a visa by the US Embassy to be in his brother's corner. "I went to the US Embassy to get a visa to go to the fight, but they turned me down, they said I did not satisfy the requirements" Shawn lamented, adding "Vivian had already booked my flight and paid for my ticket. He wanted me by his side, anyway, my father was there".
Shawn said he telephoned Vivian on Saturday night just after the fight and Vivian said to him "Shawn I did it". During the celebrations yesterday, Shawn friends said they are Harris'. "Anytime Vivian come home, is right here (Regent and Alexander Streets) he does lime, he does even go in McDonalds store and gaff with them girls in dey.....this celebration can't done fuh just now" One friend stated.