Professional Boxer. He was a top-ranked contender in the Middleweight Division during the 1960s until an eye imperfection halted his promising career. Raised in a tough neighborhood of North Philadelphia, his father abandoned him while a child. A street fight would result in the loss of his right eye at the age of eleven. This would not prevent him from pursuing a career in boxing and after turning professional at the age of eighteen in 1964 he made a name for himself within the sport around Philadelphia. After tallying seventeen consecutive victories without a defeat, he earned a bout with the WBC and WBA Welterweight Champion Curtis Cokes at Madison Square Garden on March 31st, 1967. The elusive Harris went onto outpoint the champ in the non-title contest with a unanimous decision win and with this national attention, Harris was awarded the cover of Sports Illustrated in June of 1967. He proceeded to win his next six fights and in an attempt to elevate into the Middleweight class, he suffered his first career defeat to champion Emile Griffith in a 12-round decision at Philadelphia's Spectrum on August 6th, 1968. After the fight, it would be revealed the Harris all along had been boxing while blind in the right eye. His license was soon revoked. He compiled a 24 win (9 knockout) 1 loss record. Sadly, Harris lived the remainder of his life on welfare and in poor health as he suffered multiple heart attacks, the final one he succumbed to at the age of 44.
Professional Boxer. He was a top-ranked contender in the Middleweight Division during the 1960s until an eye imperfection halted his promising career. Raised in a tough neighborhood of North Philadelphia, his father abandoned him while a child. A street fight would result in the loss of his right eye at the age of eleven. This would not prevent him from pursuing a career in boxing and after turning professional at the age of eighteen in 1964 he made a name for himself within the sport around Philadelphia. After tallying seventeen consecutive victories without a defeat, he earned a bout with the WBC and WBA Welterweight Champion Curtis Cokes at Madison Square Garden on March 31st, 1967. The elusive Harris went onto outpoint the champ in the non-title contest with a unanimous decision win and with this national attention, Harris was awarded the cover of Sports Illustrated in June of 1967. He proceeded to win his next six fights and in an attempt to elevate into the Middleweight class, he suffered his first career defeat to champion Emile Griffith in a 12-round decision at Philadelphia's Spectrum on August 6th, 1968. After the fight, it would be revealed the Harris all along had been boxing while blind in the right eye. His license was soon revoked. He compiled a 24 win (9 knockout) 1 loss record. Sadly, Harris lived the remainder of his life on welfare and in poor health as he suffered multiple heart attacks, the final one he succumbed to at the age of 44.
Bio by: C.S.
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