By Jake Donovan
Ramon Alvarez dispatched Vivian Harris inside of seven rounds in their super welterweight clash Saturday evening in Guanajuato, Mexico.
Two knockdowns early into round seven were enough to get the job done, despite a mild and displaced protest from Harris upon fight's end. The official time was 0:44 of round seven.
Even as he managed a three-fight win streak, many have for years called for the 36-year old Harris to call it a career. At one point, the former 140 lb. titlist managed just one win over a span of 10 fights, a stretch that included six knockout losses.
For the first several rounds, he was holding his own in hostile territory. Alvarez - who had younger brother Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez supporting him from ringside - was never in danger of losing the fight, but Harris at least threw him out of his comfort zone in the early rounds.
Alvarez' brawling style is - on paper - tailor-made to be picked apart by a talented boxer. Once upon a time, Harris fit that bill, and his height and reach advantage were put to use early in the bout.
Fatigue eventually set in, long a hindrance in Harris' career and a factor that has always affected his ability to take a punch. Alvarez was wise to not waste energy early on, eventually seizing control of the fight and slowly picking apart the faded former titlist.
A well-timed left hook put Harris on the canvas early into round seven. The Guyana-born boxer - who relocated to Brooklyn, NY prior to turning pro - was alert as he took the eight count, but no longer able to defend himself. Alvarez smelled knockout and closed the show strong. A right hand crashed home on Harris' chin, with a left hook serving as window dressing in producing the second knockdown of the fight.
This time, Harris was unsteady and unresponsive in barely beating the 10-count. However, the bout was wisely stopped, though the sequence prompted a roar of disapproval from the visiting fighter, a protest to no avail.
Alvarez improves to 21-4-2 (13KOs) with the win, his seventh straight. Harris falls to 32-10-2 (19KOs), snapping a three-fight win streak.
UNDERCARD (LIVE RESULTS AS THEY COME)
Javier Salinas picked up his first win in 18 months, scoring a unanimous decision over Raymundo Cortez in what served as the televised opener following technical difficulties. No scores were announced, though at least Salinas was confirmed on-air as the winner.
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
