Maurice Harris

Maurice Harris
Statistics
Real name Wilbur Maurice Harris
Nickname(s) Mo Bettah
Rated at Heavyweight
Height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Reach 80 in (203 cm)
Nationality  United States
Born February 21, 1976
East Orange, New Jersey
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 45
Wins 25
Wins by KO 11
Losses 17
Draws 2
No contests 1

Wilbur Maurice Harris (born February 21, 1976), nicknamed "Sugar Moe", is the former United States Boxing Association heavyweight champion.

Pro career

Maurice Harris turned pro at 16 as a light heavyweight in 1992, and faced many up-and-coming prospects and comebacking champions. In his early professional years, he lost to future number one contender Vaughn Bean, and defeated 18-0-0 David Izon.

In 1992, Harris lost a 12 round decision in his first attempt to win the vacant United States Boxing Association (USBA) heavyweight title against future world heavyweight champion Chris Byrd.

In 1997 he lost a disputed split decision to former champion Larry Holmes. He followed the Holmes bout with a seven fight winning streak in 1998-99. This included defeating former number one heavyweight contender Jeremy Williams, and culminated in a fight on HBO with Derrick Jefferson. In what was labeled as the 1999 Ring Magazine knockout of the year, Harris was devastatingly knocked out by a vicious shot.

In 1998 Harris was the chief sparring partner for heavyweight world champion Lennox Lewis and maintained this position for several years.

In 2002, Harris knocked out future heavyweight champion 19-0 Siarhei Liakhovich in the 9th round. Later that year, Harris won the Thunderbox Heavyweight Tournament "Fistful of Dollars" in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The round-robin exhibition event consisted of eight heavyweights doing battle in three, three-minute rounds. Harris outpointed Gerald Nobles, future number one contender Tony Thompson and Israel Garcia in the same evening to win the $100,000 purse.[1]

Comeback

After a three year layoff, Harris made a comeback in 2010 in the heavyweight division. Under the guidance of promoter Mario Yagobi of Boxing360, Harris returned to the ring. Harris won the vacant United States Boxing Association heavyweight title in his second opportunity with a 12 round unanimous decision over Nagy Aguilera at the Grand Casino in Hinckley, Minnesota. However, on May 27, 2011, Harris lost an eliminator bout for the IBF # 2 position at Reno Events Center in Reno, Nevada. On July 16, 2011, Harris defended his USBA heavyweight title in Atlantic City, New Jersey on July 16, 2011, with a 12th round knockout over challenger Derric Rossy.

Professional boxing record

25 Wins (11 knockouts), 17 Losses, 2 Draws, 1 No Contest
Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 24-3-0 Russia Andrey Fedosov KO 2 (8) 18/04/2014 United States Horseshoe Casino, Hammond, Indiana
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 18-0-0 United States Amir Mansour UD 12 23/08/2013 United States Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, Dover, Delaware vacant USBA heavyweight title

World Boxing Federation Intercontinental heavyweight title

style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 20-9-2 United States Jason Bergman SD 6 03/05/2013 United States University of California of PA Convocation Center, California, Pennsylvania
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 46-4-2 Poland Albert Sosnowski SD 3 20/06/2012 England London, England, United Kingdom Prizefighter Tournament, heavyweight quarter-final.
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 19-0 Germany Edmund Gerber UD 8 05/05/2012 Thuringia Erfurt, Thüringen, Germany
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 25-4 United States Derric "The Shaolin Fist" Rossy TKO 12 16/07/2011 New Jersey Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States USBA Heavyweight Title.. Referee stopped the bout at 1:35 of the 12th round.
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 35-2 United States Tony "The Tiger" Thompson TKO 3 27/05/2011 Nevada Reno, Nevada, United States IBF Heavyweight Title Eliminator.. Referee stopped the bout at 1:51 of the third round. Harris was knocked down in rounds two & three.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 16-3 Dominican Republic Nagy "Dominican Dynamite" Aguilera UD 12 06/08/2010 Minnesota Hinckley, Minnesota, United States USBA Heavyweight Title.. 117-111, 117-111, 115-113.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 23-14 United States Robert "Big Philly" Hawkins UD 8 15/04/2010 New York New York City, United States 80-72, 80-72, 80-72.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 15-13 United States Julius "Towering Inferno" Long UD 6 26/03/2010 Illinois Chicago, Illinois, United States 59-53, 59-53, 59-53.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 23-10-1 United States Billy "The Kid" Zumbrun UD 6 29/01/2010 New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States 60-54, 60-54, 58-56.
NC 4-0 United States Rodney Wallace NC 4 17/11/2007 North Carolina Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States Decision vacated due to the Harris misrepresenting his identity.
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 36-1 United States Tye "Big Sky" Fields RTD 4 14/07/2006 Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Harris failed to emerge from his corner for the fifth round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 13-31-1 United States Franklin Edmondson UD 8 26/01/2006 South Carolina Charleston, South Carolina, United States
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 23-1 United States Fres "The Big O" Oquendo KO 10 01/03/2003 Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Oquendo knocked out at 2:12 of the tenth round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 16-0 Belarus Siarhei "White Wolf" Liakhovich KO 9 01/06/2002 New Jersey Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States Liakhovich knocked out at 1:31 of the ninth round.
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 39-1-1 United Kingdom Henry Akinwande KO 1 16/06/2001 Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 32-2 United States Chris "Rapid Fire" Byrd UD 12 12/05/2001 New York New York City, United States USBA Heavyweight Title.. 109-118, 110-117, 110-117.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 14-5-2 United States Harold "Hard Roc" Sconiers UD 8 16/12/2000 Pennsylvania Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 7-19-3 United States Bradley Rone UD 8 05/08/2000 Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin, United States
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 21-0-1 United States Derrick "D-Train" Jefferson KO 6 06/11/1999 New Jersey Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States Harris knocked out at 2:52 of the sixth round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 15-8-4 United States Israel Cole UD 10 11/09/1999 Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 34-2 United States Jeremy "Half Man-Half Amazing" Williams UD 10 19/06/1999 New York New York City, United States 98-91, 98-90, 99-89.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 7-19-3 United States Louis "The Facelifter" Monaco TKO 1 22/05/1999 Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Referee stopped the bout at 1:33 of the first round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 13-10 United States Artis "The Mad Boxer" Pendergrass TKO 4 19/12/1998 Florida Miami, Florida, United States Referee stopped the bout at 1:45 of the fourth round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 1-3 United States Orion Sistrunk KO 1 01/10/1998 New Jersey Newark, New Jersey, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 16-69-2 United States Danny Wofford DQ 6 27/06/1998 Virginia Alexandria, Virginia, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 0-5 United States Rashid Latif KO 1 18/04/1998 Virginia Alexandria, Virginia, United States
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 65-6 United States Larry "The Easton Assassin" Holmes SD 10 29/07/1997 New York New York City, United States 95-96, 94-96, 96-94.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 32-7 Samoa Jimmy Thunder KO 7 20/05/1997 New Jersey Lyndhurst, New Jersey, United States Thunder knocked out at 2:44 of the seventh round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 17-3-2 United States Sam Hampton TKO 4 26/04/1997 New Jersey Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 5-0 United States Gerald "The Jedi" Nobles KO 3 30/07/1996 Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Harris knocked out at 1:20 of the third round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 4-0 United States Terrell "Baby Bull" Nelson UD 6 16/07/1996 New Jersey Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States 58-52, 57-50, 58-54.
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 4-5-1 United States Dayton Wheeler MD 6 19/06/1996 New Jersey Newark, New Jersey, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 18-0 Nigeria David Izon UD 8 15/03/1996 New Jersey Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States 76-75, 76-75, 78-75.
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 2-0 Canada "Cowboy" Dale Brown KO 3 16/08/1995 New Jersey Newark, New Jersey, United States
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 14-0 United States Vaughn "Shake & Bake" Bean KO 3 29/10/1994 New Jersey Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 15-0 United States "The American Dream" John Andrade TKO 6 27/06/1994 Rhode Island Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Draw -- United States Zuri Lawrence PTS 4 21/06/1994 Massachusetts Boston, Massachusetts, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 2-0-1 Barbados Richie Brown UD 4 23/04/1994 New York Schenectady, New York, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win -- United States Ettol Windham UD 4 22/03/1994 Florida Pensacola, Florida, United States
Draw 2-0 United States Richie Brown PTS 4 21/01/1994 New York New York City, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 0-1 United States Tom Murray TKO 1 01/10/1993 New York New York City, United States
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 3-1 United States Scott Lopeck KO 3 07/05/1993 New York New York City, United States
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 2-1 United States Richard Frazier TKO 4 20/03/1993 New York New York City, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 2-1 United States Michael Taylor TKO 1 27/02/1993 Pennsylvania Bushkill, Pennsylvania, United States
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 0-5 United States Anthony Harris TKO 1 12/02/1993 Pennsylvania Bushkill, Pennsylvania, United States
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss -- United States Joe Kenna UD 4 04/12/1992 Pennsylvania Bushkill, Pennsylvania, United States

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References