By Ryan Burton
Former junior welterweight champion "Vicious" Vivian Harris spoke to BoxingScene.com about his recent loss to Lucas Matthysse in Mexico City. The fight was controversially stopped early by the referee when Harris didn't seem to be in any immediate dangerous. Harris claims he was just starting to come on and that Matthysse had thrown everything at him that he had and was beginning to run out of as gas. He feels that a few rounds later he would have been able to stop his Argentine opponent. Harris is upset because Matthysse will not give him a rematch and also wants to clear the air on why he didn't fight Noe Bolanos again after their no contest in 2008 in this exclusive interview.
BoxingScene.com: Now that you have had a little time to reflect what are your thoughts on the Matthysse fight?
Vivian Harris: I definitely am still upset about it. We all know it was a bad stoppage. It was one of the worst stoppages I have ever seen in boxing. I have filed a protest to the commission and hopefully they will over rule it and change it to a no contest. His manager Sampson (Lewkowicz) is talking about how I wouldn't give Noe Bolanos a rematch when our fight was stopped early. He (Bolanos) never even asked for a rematch so I have no idea what he is talking about. The main thing is the fight between me and him (Matthysse) was a bad stoppage and that is why we want a rematch and he doesn't want to give me a rematch. We know why he doesn't want to give me a rematch. His people know why. They thought I was a stepping stone and it was going to be an easy night. Then they could see it wasn't going to be an easy night and the referee (Gelasio Perez Huerta) helped them out. I want to fight him again badly because he is just an ordinary fighter.
BoxingScene.com: Matthysse and his adviser Sampson Lewkowicz said that there wasn't any money in a rematch. How do you respond to that?
Vivian Harris: Well you know when we fought in Mexico there was no money in that fight either but we still fight. Obviously they felt the fight was something that he needed. They thought he needed a win over Vivian Harris a former world champion. He took the fight then. They thought the fight was going to be easier then it was and then the fight got stopped for no reason. For them to want to get to the next level they need to fight a guy like Vivian Harris to get to where they want to go. They are just trying to talk their way out of a rematch. They thought it was going to be a one two or three round fight. Matthysse hit me with all the body shots, all the shots that he had and I was still there and I started beating him so why would they stop the fight? It doesn't make sense. We still had many more rounds to go.
BoxingScene.com: At this point it looks like you won't get the rematch. Do you have someone in mind that you would like to fight?
Vivian Harris: I really want to thank my promoters, Golden Boy. They have done a great job getting fights for me. I appreciate it. This was the fight I wanted. I know they are looking for my next opponent but I don't know what they have in mind yet. I am just getting ready for whoever.
Boxingscene: What do you think about fighting the Victor Oritz-Nate Campbell winner?
Vivian Harris: I definitely love that fight. That is a fight that I really want. I want the name guys at 140. That is the type of fight that can get me back to where I want to be you know what I mean. That would be a great opportunity. I want to get my belt back. I never turn no fights down. I never back out of any fights. The fight where we had the head butt (Noe Bolanos fight), that was a hard head butt and that is why it was stopped. He was the type of guy that uses his head all the time. In that fight he kept using his head. If he had came to me asking for a rematch I would give him a rematch. I don't care about these guys because they can't beat me. I am not worried about them. People are just talking a lot of crap. He (Matthysse) is a coward. He is just a coward. He can say what he wants to say. I do my interviews. No one talks for me. They are talking for their fighters. I talk for myself. What I am saying is coming from my heart. The coward doesn't want to fight me back. He felt my power and he knows what it is so they don't want to fight me anymore. They don't want that loss on his record.
BoxingScene.com: Who do you think wins the Ortiz-Campbell fight?
Vivian Harris: I think it is a great fight. Campbell has had some great performances. He is a good fighter and he works hard. After Ortiz quit against Maidana I cannot really go for that kid anymore. I think once a quitter always a quitter. It is just a matter of time where he is feeling that kind of pressure again and what is he going to do? You look at him and you say he is a great fighter and he has a lot of skills but you need more than that to become champion of the world. You have to go in there and not want to lose. You have to want to go to the end of the fight and not end it yourself.
BoxingScene.com: Do you think if you fought him he would eventually buckle to the pressure you would apply and that he would quit against you?
Vivian Harris: Yeah. I think my right hand has a lot of power and I can really punch. I think once he felt my power I would probably stop him. I know I would definitely beat him. I hear things from his camp that he doesn't have that type of heart to fight people like that. I train to fight and I come to fight. This is what I do for a living. This is my job and I fight to win because I know my next fight will be better?
BoxingScene.com: Do you have a message for the fans?
Vivian Harris: I want to thank my fans for sticking by me and I want to thank Golden Boy for getting my good fights and always being by my side.
