Ringside Report Looks Back at Boxer Ronnie Harris

By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart

Gold medalist at the 1968 Mexico Games, America’s Ronnie Harris, born in Ohio, never really made quite the same waves in the professional game. That is not to say that he did not achieve and a world title around anyone’s waist is testimony enough to the man’s capabilities. And for this National AAU lightweight champion from 1966, 1967 and 1968, this would feel like reward enough, would it not?

Harris was easy to spot, his nickname of “Mazel” came from his conversion to Judaism, but sporting a yarmulka on top of an afro must have been a delicate balancing act in itself. Whilst many in the sport though his conversion a stunt, more could recognize his qualities as a boxer. He was a solid southpaw with a style, real safety-first style, that suited the amateurs, though in his book, Ronnie Harris Ohio Middleweight Contender, Jim Amato makes the claim that “in retrospect Ronnie may be one of the best middleweights the state of Ohio has ever produced.”

What marks Harris out for the British is the fact that in 1968, he managed to beat our great hope for a medal in the Olympics, John Stacey. Seven years after that defeat Stacey was to return to Mexico to pick up a world title against Jose Naples, whilst Harris was on a seven-year winning streak in the professional game.

In that Olympics, Harris got through the round of 32 by beating Lee Chang-kyi of South Korea, the round of 16 by beating John Stacey of Great Britain on points, then in the quarterfinal got past Mohamed Muruli of Uganda on points. In the semifinal, he defeated Calistrat Cutov of Romania, once more on points, before facing and dispatching Josef Grudzein of Poland on points to win the gold medal.

Once he returned it took until 1971 before he turned professional making his debut on the 19th of November in Parma against Joey Blair. Blair was knocked out in the first round.

His early years were steady and unspectacular except that he kept on winning. What was unfortunate was that he was winning without exciting. He did, however, according to Jim Amato, come to the attention of the “gold dust twins” managers Dennis Rappaport and Mike Jones. In his book, Amato tells the tale of how Jones and Rappaport had two prospects – Harris and a guy named Eddie Gregory. Unable to decide which of the two to promote they made them box off – Harris won, Eddie Gregory lost and became WBA light heavyweight champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad…

Harris may have had an awkward style that nobody really wanted to engage with let alone fight, but by 1977/78 he was at least getting some momentum with a decent management behind him.
But before 1977 was ushered in, he had his first title – the Ohio Middleweight title. Won on the s6th of August 1976, in Canton against Marion Conner by 10th round stoppage, Conner was wholly upset in all ways. Paid $200 for the fight, he sued for 12 times that amount and lost outside the ring, but inside the courtroom making it a double loss.

In Madison Square Gardens, on the 2nd of March 1977, he won a 1 round fight against Sugar Ray Seales. It was highly significant and the first of three huge contests for him.

Brits were to rue his presence once again in April when he came over to the UK to take on our own Alan Minter. Minter would go on to become a world champion but at the time had nothing to offer in response to the slick American who beat him by TKO in the 8th round. Minter was quick and this forced Harris into a fight which was electrifying. With the magnificent backdrop of the Royal Albert Hall, this was a night for him to remember as he took the hometown favorite and stopped him due to cuts. It as a fight that Minter’s manager, Micky Duff was furious about and declared, according to veteran British boxing journalist, Steve Bunce that “Harris was in the “Who Needs Him” club, and we certainly didn’t need him.” It was a different time; the seventies and Duff had not made the match. It destroyed his plans for Minter, who lost a world title eliminator against Bennie Briscoe because of the loss.

A few more wins came his way before in February 1978, in Las Vegas, he was at the center of another strange match up. He fought Gratien Tonna at The Aladdin. There were many who could not quite comprehend why Tonna’s people thought this was a good idea and the wide scorecards in favor of Harris, backed that idea the hell up!

Now, if Tonna and Minter were not going to get a world title opportunity, Harris certainly was. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, on the 5th of August 1978, Harris took on Hugo Corra for the WBC middleweight title. 15 rounds of dreadful boxing, won by the home fighter. People talked of Harris freezing under the lights, of his lack of dedication to his craft and of the lack of a champion’s mentality. No matter why he lost, Harris lost in one of the most turgid fights ever staged. Ever. Jim Amato pick up the background, “The title had come to Corro after he twice defeated the great but fading Rodrigo Valdes. Hugo had brought the crown back to Argentina after the retirement of Carlos Monzon. In comparison to Monzon who was the powerful and indestructible force, Corro was a smooth and slick boxer… There were many boxing people who liked Ronnie’s chances in this bout.” There were fewer who liked him after it. If he had been in the “Who Needs Him” club at one point, he was to become its Honorary President. Corro, meanwhile went on to lose his title to Vito Antuofermo, who then lost it to Alan Minter. Minter was never going to engage again with the guy who he could not beat before, nor the new guy who could put the audience to sleep quicker than he could his opponent…

He was to fight for a title one last time, on the 13th of May 1980 in Indianapolis, when Sammy Nesmith knocked him out in the 10th of a scheduled 12 for the NABF middleweight belt. His ffinal professional fight came on the 7th of August 1982, when he won a majority decision against Bob Paterson in Philadelphia.

Once retired, Harris opened up a boxing school in New York. In many ways, Harris went full circle and started with a gym, retired and went straight back into one!

Click Here to Order Boxing Interviews Of A Lifetime By “Bad” Brad Berkwitt