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Harmon fine with role as an unknown

Derrick Harmon says people will know who he is after his Saturday night fight with Roy Jones Jr. at the Ice Palace - when he wins.

By JOHN C. COTEY

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 22, 2001

TAMPA -- Derrick Harmon is from Chicago. Fought his first six fights there. Moved to Vegas. Has a 20-1 record. Fights undisputed light heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr. on Saturday in the Ice Palace.

There might be more to Harmon, but who has time to find out? The questions leading up to the biggest fight of his life have all been directed at Jones, namely when will you be fighting Felix Trinidad, Bernard Hopkins, Dariusz Michalczewski or even Lennox Lewis?

So after Wednesday's news conference at the Wyndham Harbour Island, all tape recorders, notepads and cameras were trained on Jones, as Harmon stood off to the side talking to friends.

Had you walked in late, you wouldn't have known he is in the main event Saturday, to be televised on HBO.

"See those people over there," he said. "There will be twice as many of them talking to me after the fight."

Calm and cool during the generally lighthearted news conference, Harmon shrugged off the lack of respect he has received. Jones has been scathed in the press for fighting Harmon, as the national media accuse him of ducking the big fights.

Harmon has read the stories and seen where he is considered far from a worthy challenger. That's if he even makes it into most stories, which are focused more on Jones' future than his present.

"That's good, though," Harmon said. "It's good because if you ever look back at boxing and look at the bypassed people, and that person (he's fighting) comes up and says this is a tuneup, that can lead to the greatest upsets."

Jones never has referred to this fight as a tuneup, and has been one of Harmon's greatest defenders. But that can be easily dismissed because for the fight to have any validity, Jones has little choice but to talk up an opponent who is not a recognized fighter.

But Harmon does not ask for such respect. He said he will earn it come Saturday.

"I don't expect people to treat me nice, I don't expect people to treat me with respect," he said. "I have to gain respect on my own. Honestly, it's a motivation to you. I'm glad to be at the bottom. They say I'm a handpicked opponent. I'm glad to be a handpicked opponent. I'm handpicked to bring on a defeat."

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