Vivian Harris Conference Call Transcript

20.06.05 – Emanuel: Training camp has been going very good. We could have been fighting this past weekend. He is in great condition and he is ready to go. It is like his first fight in to the foray of the top of the division. Being on this card is not about the money, it is about being on the big card. It’s a very important fight for him..

Vivian Harris: Training is good and I’m working hard like I usually do. I trained in Gleason’s gym in Brooklyn.

Maussa is in front of me now and that’s who I am looking at. Everyone knows I will fight whoever is there. I’m not calling anyone else when I have a fight coming up. A lot of fighters don’t want to fight me. I went to Germany twice and came back with my belt both times.

Statement?

Vivian Harris: I didn’t come here to make a statement. I can here to win regardless. Fight this fight and win this fight. I am focusing on the fight on June 25th and the world knows that I want to fight these guys. It’s these guys that don’t want to fight me. But I’m not thinking about those guys, I’m thinking about Carlos Maussa. Whoever wants to fight, I’m here and they know I want to fight them.

Emanuel: The reason we are taking this fight is Vivian is the dark horse and we fee that an impressive victory will put him in the middle of everything. No other 140-pounders wanted him on this card because they didn’t want him to be seen. One guy in particular, Mayweather, has no desire to fight him.

When people mention the top 140-pounders, Vivian is overlooked. Most people have not seen him defend his title. We want it known he is the best in the division. We want an impressive fight – very devastating. We are looking for a knockout. We want an impressive knockout.

Vivian Harris: I am already right there, but this fight is going to make a big statement. The people are going to see Vivian Harris.

I am at 140 right now and I feel great. I have no desire to move up to 147. The reason the others guys are saying they will move up is because the want no part of Vivian Harris.

It’s great just having to go to the doctor and take my physical and then go to Atlantic City instead of having to go to the hospital before I go to Germany. I was just thinking about how great that is today. I’m happy to be home fighting in a beautiful place.

Emanuel: For the second fight, I told Vivian to keep him at a distance and punch with more power. We are really concentrating on punching with a lot more power. We knocked out Urkal in the 11th round and at that time he had lost only two fights – to Tszyu and a controversial decision to Vivian. Vivian went back to Germany again and even into his own neighborhood and Vivian knocked him out. Since then, he has gone on to win the European championship.

I like to be a manager and a trainer, which is why I bought his managerial contract. He has a tremendous amount of talent, but right now he is a real big threat in the division. I could not pick any other over him. Cotto and Mayweather would give him a good fight, but I don’t think any of them could beat him right now and I would have to pick Vivian. I think with a devastating win, the public and the networks will get behind him and he could force himself into a big fight with Hatton, Mayweather or Gatti.

What did you learn in Germany?

Vivian Harris: I learned a lot about what it’s like when people don’t like you.

Emanuel: We trained in California and to get to Germany it was a 9-hour time difference. We were all light-headed and had problems waking up. At the end of the 8th round I told Vivian I thought he was losing the fight. So he went out there and knocked him right out in the 11th and what I learned the Vivian is an extremely strong-mined individual. There were threats on his life and the fight was in a neighborhood – not even an arena. And he still went out and knocked him out and then even the Turkish people gave him credit.

Emanuel on Gatti-Mayweather…

Emanuel: It is going to be very interesting. I, like most people will really be pulling for Gatti who is one of my favorite fighters, like Trinidad. But I don’t like the match-up, because like in the past Arturo has always had problems with boxers, like Ivan Robinson. He’s never had much success. I didn’t like that the fight was even made because he is so good for the industry. I have to give a slight edge to Mayweather because of the speed. If Arturo gets the momentum that he has had in recent fights and pressures Mayweather but not throw punches from too far out. He’s got to get right on top of him before he punches and not get into a boxing match. If he fights that type of fight and keeps the heat on and the crowd gets into it and he gets very close before he punches, he can pull the fight off. He is just so good for boxing. We’ve had so many guys beaten because of bad match-ups, this is one that I hope won’t happen. The injury factor favors Mayweather too. But Gatti, because of cuts and hand injuries, that is another variable that is against him. I think that Gatti is going to fight the fight of his life because as good as Gatti is and all of these great and thrilling fights he has given us, I don’t think he’ beaten a top quality fighter like Mayweather. So if he wins this fight, he will prove that he can beat a top guy. I expect Mayweather to have his hands full that night.