BROOKLYN, New York City - Guyana's WBA junior welterweight boxing champion ‘Vicious’ Vivian Harris declared that he would not be fighting against European junior welterweight champion Okay Urkal in Germany.
Harris told Chronicle Sports: “My decision is that I am not going.”
Earlier this month, FightNews reported that Harris was to face Urkal (34-1,11 KO's) on January 10 next year.
But Harris declared: "I am trying to fight on January 24 on the Arturo Gatti card on HBO, if I don't get that date, I am not going to fight".
Harris added: "My mandatory defence is until April 2004 and I rather wait until then, than to go out of the country (America) and I know I can win that fight."
The outspoken Harris pointed out: "They are not sending other junior welterweights out the country, why me?"
He said he was not worried about anything but he obviously has a problem with his promoter Main Events and manager Shelly Finkel who he claimed were not getting him any fights.
Harris had told FightNews last week: "I have already begun training for Urkal and I know it’s important that I not leave this fight in the hands of the judges."
That would have been his second defence of the crown he won in 2002 with a 2nd round TKO of champion Diosbelys Huartado.
Harris (23-1-1, 16 KO's) last defended his title on July 12 with a dominant performance against Souleymane M'baye (27-1, 13 KO's) in a twelve-round decision.
Meanwhile, Saturday night, Urkal battered his opponents in defending his European junior welterweight title in twelve rounds against Krzystof Bienias in Reisa, Germany.
Harris now has his sights on the bigger picture with fights against such other big names like world champion Kostya Tszyu, WBO champion Zab Judah, Arturo Gatti, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, among others.
The third Guyanese world champion continues training at the Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, New York, under the guidance of former world-rater Lennox Blackmore..
Harris holds the WBA's ‘regular’ junior welterweight title and shares the WBA spotlight with the WBA ‘super’ holder Russian Kostysu.
The champion said he felt that Guyanese fighters were being slighted and he made the statement with no disrespect to anyone.
"I am the best 140-pounder and they are trying to hold me back by promoting other fighters - which is wrong,” Harris said that he was being offered to fight outside of America so that he can get a "messed-up decision" and lose the title.
No doubt Harris is displeased with how he is being handled at present by his management team and his promoters, disclosing he was in training and his inactivity from actual fights was not a problem.
Harris said he was at present talking to his lawyers.