31.07.06 – By Vivian Harris: I have to take my hat off, first of all, to former champ Stevie Johnston. The warrior came to fight me Saturday night on HBO from the beautiful Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif. I expected no less from a great former champion. I worked so hard in camp and it paid off as I came away with a victory. Again, Stevie, you are truly ‘Lil But Bad’ and I appreciate the fact you came in on two weeks notice to replace Mike Arnaoutis.
Thanks also to my promoter, Gary Shaw, my manager, Jose Nunez and trainer Lennox Blackmoore for all their hard work and faith in me. Big thanks to HBO for giving me the opportunity to shine on their big TV stage. And thanks to all my fans from Guyana to Brooklyn .
Now, while my hat is off to Stevie, I want to put my hat on, I mean I want to get it on with world champion Ricky Hatton. Hatton has made it clear that he is coming back to the junior welterweight division and who can blame him after my Brooklyn homeboy, Luis Collazo, nearly beheaded him in Boston?..
We can fight at 147, where you hold the WBA title, or at 140 or even in-between. The weight doesn’t matter. I just hope you don’t make me wait, lol.
Every week it seems there is another press release coming from promoters Dennis Hobson and Arthur Pellulo about how Hatton is being ducked and dodged by so many people. Let’s make this crystal clear, I am not ducking Mr. Hatton.
I will fight you Ricky in Manchester, England, or Manchester, New Hampshire. The venue does not matter. I respect you but I want that title belt you have and, if you are the man I think you are and your fans in both the USA and the UK think you are, you will give a positive answer to my challenge.
If you think you are more vicious than me, you know what to do. Instruct Mr. Hobson and Mr. Pellulo to ring up Big Gary Shaw. They know his number.
This would be a fight fan’s dream matchup. Let’s make it happen, Hatton!
SINCERELY,
VICIOUS VIVIAN HARRIS
Brooklyn, NY