A chat with former light heavyweight contender Derrick Harmon

Fighting out of the “The Windy City” of Chicago, Illinois, (born in nearby Evanston), and later Las Vegas, former light heavyweight contender Derrick Harmon would log an impressive 25-7 (12 KO’s) in his 15-year run facing some of the game’s very best during his time.

Harmon would turn pro in the summer of 1993 and run off an impressive 17 straight wins in the first half of his career, taking him into February of 1999. While he would go a more workman-like 8-7 over the second half of his career, it should be noted he went very deep in whom he faced during this time. He fought 6 world champions and 2 world title challengers during this stretch.

Harmon would receive a world title shot in the winter of 2001 facing off against P4P star Roy Jones Jr. in Tampa, Florida taking the (at that time) seemingly untouchable Jones to the end of the 10th round. Harmon would follow that fight up with a win over gate-keeper Demetrius Jenkins and then kick off 2002 with a win over light heavyweight legend Glen Johnson before going the distance with (Roy Jones Jr. conqueror) Montell Griffin. He would then finish off the year beating world title challenger Tim Littles.

Over the next 5 years, among other bouts, Harmon would square off against world champions Dariusz Michalczewski, O’Neil Bell and Jorge Castro while picking up a win over world title challenger David Telesco.

Out of the ring for 2 years after a win over veteran Vincent Harris in the spring of 2006, Harmon would fight for the last time in 2008 before retiring.

In the end, Harmon left the game with an impressive resume having faced some of boxing’s best along with challenging (a then untouchable P4P star) for a world title, working his way to a #1 world ranking and becoming a North American Boxing Federation (NABF) champion. All in all - a very impressive career.

Since stepping to the safe side of the ropes, Harmon has been a long-time assistant to Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, along with working in fighter development for Arum’s Top Rank Boxing.

MaxBoxing recently had a chance to catch up with the articulate, well-spoken Harmon, (in San Diego for a Top Rank fight card), to look back on his boxing journey - past and present.

Bill Tibbs: Hi Derrick, thanks for taking a minute to chat.

Derrick Harmon: Hey Bill, no problem, happy to do it.

BT: You are a native of the Chicago area?

DH: Yes, I am. Born and raised in Evanston, Illinois.

BT: Did you fight as an amateur?

DH: Yes, I did. I had about 20 amateur fights. I won the Chicago Golden Gloves.

BT: Really? I assumed you would have had more.

DH: No, I had about 20, then I turned pro. When I first turned pro I had about 6 fights for (1960’s era world heavyweight champion) Ernie Terrel in Chicago, he was training me at that time.

BT: Then you headed out west?

DH: Yes, then I headed out to Vegas. I originally went out there for a camp with Montell Griffin. I was talking to my dad, and he said, “It’s freezing back here”. So, I went back there and packed up my things and came out to Las Vegas.

BT: You got 17-0 in the first half of your career. A great start. People may look at the second half, at 8-7, but really you must look at who you fought. You were in there with everybody. Montell Griffin, Glen Johnson, Jorge Castro, O’Neil Bell, Darius Machalczewski, among others. And of course, Roy Jones, Jr. That is an impressive resume. What a run.

DH: Yeah, I fought some good fighters in the second half of my career. You know what Bill, the only guy who beat me was Roy Jones. All the other fights I beat myself. Weight was a problem at times. I was too small for cruiserweight but was killing myself to make 175. I always said if I could have gotten a title shot at 180-183, if there was a weight division like that, it would have suited me perfectly. But, you know what? Winners don’t make excuses and there are no excuses; I’m not making excuses.

BT: Let’s talk about Roy Jones, Jr., who you fought for the world title. At that time, you really couldn’t have gotten a tougher assignment for a title shot. Roy Jones Jr. was pretty much untouchable at that time.

DH: He really was great at that time; he was pretty much at his peak at that time and was very hard to beat. But, going into the fight I felt good and believed in myself. If you don’t believe in yourself, you have no chance. The toughest guy you can ever face is the guy in your head. So much of boxing is a mental game.

BT: After your boxing career was over, how did you end up working with Top Rank Boxing?

DH: A guy that I knew, Jackie Robinson, who used to play for UNLV, was running a gym out here and I was working there. I was working at the gym and doing some personal training. There was a lady who was training Bob Arum and she was leaving so I started to work with Bob and that is how we met. As I got to know Bob better and was starting to do more jobs for him, in a role to assist him in many ways, I spoke to him and said that I thought I could really be a good assistant to him. In a support role to him, and help in other ways within his company. Then, he brought me on board with Top Rank.

BT: What is your official role or title now with Top Rank?

DH: My primary role is assisting Bob Arum, that is my primary role. I work security for him, drive him, help him with fighters in any way that he needs, help the fighters with anything they need. I guess you could say Fighter Development or Fighter Co-ordinator as a title, and of course assisting Bob with whatever he needs at the office, at the fights, on the road; wherever and whatever.

BT: While we are talking about Arum, I must say that the man simply amazes me. Not only the pace that he maintains physically, but his mental attitude towards boxing after all these decades. The guy is as excited as ever about the sport and his fighters. And, this is a guy who worked with legends in the past.

DH: Bill, the guy is passionate about what he does. He is going to be 90 years old in December and he is as driven and passionate today as he ever was and that is why he is Bob Arum. He absolutely loves boxing and is very driven and he is a very sharp guy. He loves what he does, and it is what keeps him so passionate about the sport. I am so blessed to get to be around a guy like this day in and day out. I can learn so much from him about the business of boxing, how the business works.

BT: And as an ex-fighter, you bring a unique perspective that allows you to really understand the fighters.

DH: I do have a unique perspective because I have been in the ring and I know exactly what the fighters feel in training, in the ring, in the week leading up to their fight, all of that. I have a unique perspective that I can bring to the company in that sense. Plus, being around Bob and soaking up decades of experience, it is such a great learning opportunity that has helped me understand the business side of the sport. You can always work hard and learn how the business works but if you have never been in the ring, you can’t learn that.

BT: What advice is so key to young fighters?

DH: The thing that young fighters, any athlete in any sport, must realize is that you get out what you put into it. You must be 100%, always committed to be successful in boxing. Winners are all in, no excuses, total commitment. You must put in the work. You must be mentally strong and sharp to give yourself the best chance to see what you are capable of. Winners are disciplined, committed and consistent. Look at a guy like Floyd Mayweather, you never saw him out of shape between fights, he never let his weight get out of control.

BT: Had you always planned to stay in boxing after you retired?

DH: I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. You must ask yourself, what can I do? What do I want to do? I am truly blessed. I love what I am doing. I am so lucky to have been afforded the opportunities that I have by Bob Arum, getting to be around him and learn from the best, learn the business of boxing and do something that I love.

BT: Derrick, it was great catching up. Thank you.

DH: Nice talking to you Bill - anytime.