Paris
– Ups & Downs Vernon Paris’ life has had its share of ups and downs with a professional record that rocketed to an undefeated 19 wins in two short years and the birth of his first child and plummeted with two attacks on his life, multiple license suspensions and an arrest. Recently, the state of Michigan did what no man in the ring has been able to do. Stop Paris. Or, you might say, Paris stopped himself. The young Light Welterweight from Detroit recently entered into a stipulated agreement with state officials after failing two post-fight drug tests and failing to submit a sample following a third fight. In addition to a year-long suspension from the sport and then a license revocation, three of Paris’ wins were changed to no contests by Michigan officials including his December 2007 fight against Kevin Carmody for the World Boxing Foundation (WBC) title. Most recently, Paris was arrested September 29 at a Tallahassee, Florida apartment where he was living with his girlfriend and two small children. Just two months earlier, Paris and girlfriend Mary Rhodes welcomed a bouncing 6 lb - 7 oz baby girl into the world. Named Londyn Marie Paris, the newborn became a sister to 5-year old Malachi, Mary’s first child from another relationship. “I’ve had a rough three years,” Paris told Sportssummary.com in a series of telephone interviews in November, his first interviews since being arrested in Florida six weeks earlier. The young prospect was anxious to talk, wanting, he said, to set the record straight about his recent difficulties and to counter statements made by a person he once trusted to represent him. In particular, Paris denied statements made by Charles Gatlin who, along with a partner, was signed as Paris’ managers upon his arrival in Florida, where he moved after being stabbed in May. In particular, Paris said that he did not flee Michigan in fear of his life and he did not punch the mother of his newborn baby. “People say I brought stuff on myself, that I was doing bad things” Paris said about comments people made after he was the victim of a 2006 shooting and a stabbing earlier this year, both of which nearly killed him. “I made mistakes in my life. (But) I try everyday to better myself.” Paris is rightly described by others, including his mother Rosa, as a little naïve and too trusting, even today, and it shows in his view of his life so far. “At twenty (years of age), I’ve been through a lot,” says Paris. “I think I’ve done an okay job so far.” Taken from the safety and comfort where most will read this, his view may be difficult to comprehend but from the view across town, in a dangerous intercity with a murder rate nearly seven times the national average, high unemployment and some of the worst public schools in the nation maybe his perspective is reasonable. His accomplishments are impressive but his stumbles have been even more dramatic, and often life-threatening. By any standard, Paris’ life is an un-made movie of the week. Paris started boxing at the age of eleven at Detroit’s famed Kronk Gym and earned a self-reported amateur record of 89-15, which included winning the National Jr. Olympic title at 132-lbs in 2004. Paris was one of two Michigan boxers to win – the other was his friend, Isiah Thomas. In his fourth and final fight of the tournament, Paris – then 16 years old – won a close decision over Norfolk, Virginia’s Mondre Pope, whom he had lost to months earlier at the national Silver Gloves. It was in that earlier tournament loss that Paris received the only two 8-counts of his amateur career. Turning pro in early ’06, Paris had even more success. In just two short years, Paris amassed a professional boxing record of 19 wins and no losses. Thirteen of his wins came by knockout. That in itself says something about Paris’ strength and skills. Figure in the fact that four friends – including two former amateur boxing teammates that Paris declines to name for this story – lure him to one of the many abandoned structures in Detroit and shoot him several times from behind and his success is even more impressive. Still carrying two bullets in his back and groin, Paris returned to the ring, and a unanimous decision victory over Jean Petit-Homme, in seven short weeks. That fact alone may be more amazing than it is impressive. Paris went on to win thirteen more fights after that before running afoul of state boxing officials. A urine sample after a December 2006 fight came back positive for Marijuana. It took state officials many months to react and more than a year to take any enforcement action. Before they did Paris came up hot on a second test, after a December 2007 fight. Two months later, in February of this year, with a suspension bearing down on him, Paris fought for the last time. Asked to provide a sample for testing, Paris feigned injury and left the venue. Failing to submit to testing is treated the same as failing the test. His license was suspended shortly afterward and then proceedings started on the second and third violations, which led to the stipulation between Paris and the state of Michigan in October. Editor’s
Note: Learn
about Paris' family, the birth of his daughter and his plans to
return to the ring as the series continues in part two on Tuesday.
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