FORMER World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Association (IBA) junior welterweight champion Guyanese `Vicious’ Vivian Harris was going through a lean period when he challenged Lanardo Tyner on July 15, 2011. Harris had secured only one in his six previous fights. The lean period started when the Guyanese lost to World Boxing Council (WBC) champion Junior Witter by a seventh-round TKO in September 2009.
Harris and Tyner were fighting for the vacant United States Boxing Organisation (USBO) welterweight title which the latter won via unanimous decision.
Born Ivan Vivian Harris on June 17, 1978, Harris was crowned WBA welterweight champion in October 2002 following a second-round technical knockout (TKO) of champion Diosbelys Hurtado in Houston, Texas.
He would have three successful defences but was then dethroned by little-known Colombian Carlos Maussa via seventh-round knockout in June 2005.
Harris last fought in November 2014 when he challenged Mexican Ramon Alvarez for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) North American junior middleweight title. The Mexican was crowned champion when referee Ray Carona stopped the bout at 44 seconds of the seventh round.