Maurice Harris

For the American football player, see Maurice Harris (American football).

Wilbur Maurice Harris (born February 21, 1976), nicknamed "Sugar Moe", is the former United States Boxing Association heavyweight champion. A professional competitor since 1992, he holds notable victories over Siarhei Liakhovich, David Izon, James Thunder, and Jeremy Williams. As a professional, Harris also faced world champions and contenders Larry Holmes, Vaughn Bean, Derrick Jefferson, Chris Byrd, Henry Akinwande, Fres Oquendo, Tony Thompson, Kubrat Pulev, Amir Mansour, Alexander Ustinov, and Albert Sosnowski.

Maurice Harris
Maurice "Sugar Moe" Harris
Born	Wilbur Maurice Harris (1976-02-21) February 21, 1976 East Orange, New Jersey
Nationality	United States
Other names	Mo Bettah
Statistics
Weight(s)	Heavyweight Cruiserweight Light Heavyweight
Height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Reach	80 in (203 cm)
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	52
Wins	26
Wins by KO	11
Losses	22
Draws	3
No contests	1

Professional 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 brutally knocked out by a vicious left hook.

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.

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

52 fights	26 wins	22 losses
By knockout	11	15
By decision	14	7
By disqualification	1	0
Draws	3
No contests	1

Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
Loss	26–22–3 (1)	Ivan Dychko	KO	1 (8), 1:39	06/07/2018	Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Hollywood FL
Loss	26–21–3 (1)	Kubrat Pulev	KO	1 (8), 1:59	05/12/2015	Inselparkhalle, Wilhelmsburg, Hamburg
Loss	26–20–3 (1)	Alexander Ustinov	KO	1 (10)	10/10/2015	El Poliedro, Caracas, Venezuela
Draw	26–19–3 (1)	Grover Young	SD	8	05/09/2015	Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Hollywood
Loss	26–19–2 (1)	Andrey Fedosov	KO	2 (8)	18/04/2014	Horseshoe Casino, Hammond, Indiana
Loss	26–18–2 (1)	Amir Mansour	UD	12	23/08/2013	Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, Dover, Delaware	For vacant USBA heavyweight and World Boxing Federation Intercontinental heavyweight title
Win	26–17–2 (1)	Jason Bergman	SD	6	03/05/2013	University of California of PA Convocation Center, California, Pennsylvania
Loss	25–17–2 (1)	Albert Sosnowski	SD	3	20/06/2012	London, England
Loss	25–16–2 (1)	Edmund Gerber	UD	8	05/05/2012	Erfurt, Germany
Win	25–15–2 (1)	Derric Rossy	TKO	12	16/07/2011	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States	USBA Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 1:35 of the 12th round.
Loss	24–15–2 (1)	Tony Thompson	TKO	3	27/05/2011	Reno, Nevada, United States
Win	24–14–2 (1)	Nagy Aguilera	UD	12	06/08/2010	Hinckley, Minnesota, United States	USBA Heavyweight Title.
Win	23–14–2 (1)	Robert Hawkins	UD	8	15/04/2010	New York City, United States
Win	22–14–2 (1)	Julius Long	UD	6	26/03/2010	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Win	21–14–2 (1)	Billy Zumbrun	UD	6	29/01/2010	Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
NC	20–14–2 (1)	Rodney Wallace	NC	4	17/11/2007	Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States
Loss	20-14-2	Tye Fields	RTD	4	14/07/2006	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win	20-13-2	Franklin Edmondson	UD	8	26/01/2006	Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Loss	19-13-2	Fres Oquendo	KO	10	01/03/2003	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win	19-12-2	Sergei Liakhovich	KO	9	01/06/2002	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Loss	18-12-2	Henry Akinwande	KO	1	16/06/2001	Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Loss	18-11-2	Chris Byrd	UD	12	12/05/2001	New York City, United States	USBA Heavyweight Title.
Win	18-10-2	Harold Sconiers	UD	8	16/12/2000	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Win	17-10-2	Bradley Rone	UD	8	05/08/2000	Madison, Wisconsin, United States
Loss	16-10-2	Derrick Jefferson	KO	6	06/11/1999	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	16-9-2	Israel Cole	UD	10	11/09/1999	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win	15-9-2	Jeremy Williams	UD	10	19/06/1999	New York City, United States
Win	14-9-2	Louis Monaco	TKO	1	May 22, 1999	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win	13-9-2	Artis Pendergrass	TKO	4	19/12/1998	Miami, Florida, United States
Win	12-9-2	Orion Sistrunk	KO	1	01/10/1998	Newark, New Jersey, United States
Win	11-9-2	Danny Wofford	DQ	6	27/06/1998	Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Win	10-9-2	Rashid Latif	KO	1	18/04/1998	Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Loss	9-9-2	Larry Holmes	SD	10	29/07/1997	New York City, United States
Win	9-8-2	Jimmy Thunder	KO	7	20/05/1997	Lyndhurst, New Jersey, United States	Thunder knocked out at 2:44 of the seventh round.
Win	8-8-2	Sam Hampton	TKO	4	26/04/1997	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Loss	7-8-2	Gerald Nobles	KO	3	30/07/1996	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States	Harris knocked out at 1:20 of the third round.
Win	7-7-2	Terrell Nelson	UD	6	16/07/1996	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Loss	6-7-2	Dayton Wheeler	MD	6	19/06/1996	Newark, New Jersey, United States
Win	6-6-2	David Izon	UD	8	15/03/1996	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Loss	5-6-2	Dale Brown	KO	3	16/08/1995	Newark, New Jersey, United States
Loss	5-5-2	Vaughn Bean	KO	3	29/10/1994	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Loss	5-4-2	John Andrade	TKO	6	27/06/1994	Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Draw	5-3-2	Zuri Lawrence	PTS	4	21/06/1994	Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Win	5-3-1	Richie Brown	UD	4	23/04/1994	Schenectady, New York, United States
Win	4-3-1	Ettol Windham	UD	4	22/03/1994	Pensacola, Florida, United States
Draw	3-3-1	Richie Brown	PTS	4	21/01/1994	New York City, United States
Win	3-3	Tom Murray	TKO	1	01/10/1993	New York City, United States
Loss	2-3	Scott Lopeck	KO	3	07/05/1993	New York City, United States
Loss	2-2	Richard Frazier	TKO	4	20/03/1993	New York City, United States
Win	2-1	Michael Taylor	TKO	1	27/02/1993	Bushkill, Pennsylvania, United States
Win	1-1	Anthony Harris	TKO	1	12/02/1993	Bushkill, Pennsylvania, United States
Loss	0-1	Joe Kenna	UD	4	04/12/1992	Bushkill, Pennsylvania, United States

External links

• Boxing record for Maurice Harris from BoxRec (registration required)
• Maurice Harris - Boxing360 Biography, Boxing
• USBA Heavyweight Champion Maurice Harris on Brink of Living his Dream, April 28, 2011