World Boxing Association junior welterweight champion `Vicious' Vivian Harris may just have to fight mandatory challenger Souleyman Mbaye after all.
Harris said yesterday that negotiations for him to fight World Boxing Organisation welterweight champion Antonio Margarito fell through recently and he is now awaiting word on a date to fight Mbaye.
"It's just a lot of mixed signals but I have to remain focused," Harris said from Brooklyn yesterday. The 24-year-old Harris was willing to give up the belt he won after knocking out Diosbelys Hurtado last October, and move up one division to tackle Margarito.
The move was being billed as a lucrative step and the Guyanese was confident to defeating Margarito, the last man to defeat Guyana's first world title holder Andrew `Sixhead' Lewis.
Harris said that he has received news that the Mbaye bout could be on the July 12 card in Las Vegas when WBC and WBA welterweight champion Ricardo Mayorga has a rematch with Vernon Forrest in the main bout.
The main supporting fight of the card will see former IBF junior welterweight champion Zab Judah tackle DeMarcus Corley for the WBO junior welterweight title.
Harris assured that he is still working very hard in the gym and will continue to keep the Golden Arrowhead flying. A few weeks ago Harris' camp challenged Judah but the American turned down the offer.
Harris was expected to make a substantial amount if the contest had materialised. Mbaye is ranked number one by the WBA. The lanky Harris, coached by former world rater Lennox Blackmoore, had rattled up a 16-fight winning streak before securing his only professional defeat at the hands of Ray Oliveira on February 25, 2000
Six months later he chalked up another first when drew with former champion Ivan Robinson. Harris became the youngest Guyanese to secure a world title when he knocked out Hurtado early in the second round of a fight staged in Huston, Texas.