How I'll Remember Vernon Forrest

by Lee Payton

Photo © Ray Kasprowicz

As you know, Vernon Forrest was murdered on Friday night. This summer has been hard on the boxing community as we have now tragically lost Arturo Gatti, Alexis Arguello and Marco Nazareth.

I just want to go over some of the memories I'll always have of The Viper.

Vernon Forrest will be forever known as the guy who had Shane Mosley's number. He was the one who kept Shane from heading to the 1992 Olympics, and years later he would violently snatch Sugar Shane's welterweight title.

I remember the negotiations for the first Forrest-Mosley fight. Shane was looking for another showdown with Oscar De La Hoya, but wanted too much money so the Golden Boy turned down the offer. There were two guys left to fight- Vernon Forrest and Winky Wright.

As a huge Mosley fan I didn't want to see either of those opponents. Rather than go up in weight to face Winky, Shane chose to defend his championship against Forrest.

I was a nervous wreck before the first bell, for I knew Vernon Forrest was a tough customer. He had the physical tools, a great amateur pedigree, and he was undefeated as a pro. But the scariest thing about him was his hunger. I knew he was starving. Shane... I wasn't so sure about anymore.

Forrest got the opportunity because he had been on HBO a few times before that, standing up to some heavy right hands from Vince Phillips and winning a belt on his second try against Raul Frank.

The first fight with Frank ended early because of a clash of heads. They did it again, and Forrest looked like he hadn't taken a day off in months. He weighed in very light and had put on almost nothing by the time they got into the ring, indicating that he may have been over-trained.

It didn't matter. After a rough 12 rounds Forrest was declared the winner. He finally had the title belt he wanted so badly. It was just the thing he needed to get bigger opportunities that were hard to come by for him.

I was depressed for over a week because of what he did to Shane, so I was jumping for joy when wild man Ricardo Mayorga stopped him with a right hand club to the temple. I actually thought the stoppage was a little premature, but hey...

They fought again and in a contest that could have gone either way Mayorga's crazy aggression won him the majority decision.

Mayorga is thought of as a bit of a joke these days, but in his prime he was obviously a load. He had big power that came from putting 100% of himself into every shot, deceptive quickness, brutal strength and a granite chin. Forrest just couldn't back him up or get him to sit still, which messed with his cool, technical long-range style.

Even getting back into the ring with the only man to ever knock you out takes a lot of guts.

After that his career was slowed to a halt by injuries. No one really knew if we'd see him in the ring again. He had money and unlike a lot of fighters, had no problem finding something to do when he wasn't fighting. He was deeply involved with a group called Destiny's Child, which helped disabled adults in their everyday lives.

Of course, he came back at less than 100% to beat Ike Quartey and Carlos Baldomir. He lost a very close decision to Sergio Mora in 2008, but dominated the rematch 3 months later.

I'll always remember Vernon Forrest as a good guy, even after what he did to one of my all-time favourites. He was a helluva fighter at one point. The type of guy I think many of the great welterweights would have had real trouble with. He had a very long, hard, quick jab that he really believed in. He could also punch like Hell when he sat down on his shots. In fact, Forrest is the only guy I have ever seen hurt Shane Mosley.

As far as boxing goes, he'll probably always be underrated, but his good deeds are far more valuable than anything he may have achieved in the ring. Rest in peace, Champ. Your legacy as a man is secure.

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The Minority Report: Pavlik vs. Mora

Word is it's just about official; Sergio Mora (pictured right) will be getting the next crack at middleweight champ, Kelly Pavlik. Jeff Pryor takes an early look at the match-up, and his take on the underdog's chances might surprise you.

Sergio Mora has been written off before. And he's proven a lot of boxing aficionado's wrong before too, perhaps even some of you reading now. With the rumblings of Kelly Pavlik defending his Middleweight Championship this summer against Mora, it appears the all knowing internet message boards deem this a Pavlik whitewash and the final dismantling of the much maligned, and disliked "Contender" winner.

Photos © Ray Kasprowicz

This is boxing, it can be any pugilists ultimate peril each time he slides between the ropes, but in this instance I shall be filing a minority report on why I believe that Mora, at the least, will provide a challenge that many will be unable or unwilling to see coming.

Just a quick note before my brief thoughts on this match; I would wager that I was one of the few who picked Sergio Mora to upset Vernon Forrest when they first met almost a year ago. I knew each man's style well, and perhaps more importantly I knew the psychology that would favor one fighter, in this case Mora. Incidentally, I didn't make such a prediction for their rematch, as I also knew that in that bout the psychological advantage would be Forrest's and that Mora was having serious weight issues leading up to the fight.

In addition, I was one of the few who picked Hopkins to beat Pavlik this past October, something I foresaw, due to knowledge and analysis of each man's style. All this is only to say, I think thus far I've been pretty spot on with the strengths and weaknesses of both Mora and Pavlik. I'm not sure I know of anyone else who correctly predicted both these fights. Perhaps, with these unlikely picks correctly chosen, you will at least hear me out on why I believe Sergio Mora may prove a puzzle for Pavlik.

First, a few facts about Mora. He fights off emotion; the more heated the fight the better he is. He is smart; he self analyzes and understands his weaknesses. He is an inside fighter; don't let his tall lean frame fool you. And He has a chip on his shoulder; he is extremely bothered by his last performance and the general discord his career has received.

These items come into play against an opponent like Pavlik, particularly because of the circumstances each fighter has found themselves in following their first career losses. For instance, Pavlik may think that his psyche has been repaired since the Hopkins' domination, but should he find it difficult to land on the elusive "Latin Snake", how will he respond to another fighter who doesn't paint a bullseye on their forehead and stand in front of him?

It may not be in the same manner and certainly not as comprehensive, but the type of frustration Hopkins delivered to Pavlik can be duplicated by a smart, hard to hit fighter. As well as Pavlik's first loss, Mora would be wise to take a look at Carlos Quintana's game plan in his initial meeting with Paul Williams, in which the smaller man out-maneuvered and frustrated the taller, volume punching champion. Their are definite similarities between Sergio's style and that which Quintana employed so successfully.

In addition, while Pavlik's loss was one that deflated him, I believe Mora's is one that will galvanize him. He is hungry to prove himself and he has shown an under-appreciated tenacity in the past that will drive him both during preparation and in the ring.

Mora has engaged in brutal gym wars with James Kirkland and Alfredo Angulo, by all accounts giving as good as he got. He went in to the rematch with Forrest severely weight drained and sapped of energy after a truncated training camp in which he had to boil his already lithe 160 pound frame to 154 in a short period, but in the ring, toughed it out when it would have been much easier to quit.

As for style on style; Pavlik is meat and potatoes, jab, jab, straight right hand. If that is successful he'll throw to the body. However, if his jab is not landing, he gets into trouble and I think it is going to be a challenge for him to land it. Mora on the other hand gives you some odd angles, a lot of feinting and ultimately darts in with something over the top and then looks to work inside, often to the body. Mora's quickness will likely help him elude any attempt Pavlik will have at trying to time his awkward charges, and once close, Pavlik's game becomes limited and paced. Mora is smart enough to tie up when he's finished or maneuver quickly back out to distance. Pavlik's slim two inch height and reach advantage becomes null inside, and the power on his shots is curtailed, erasing his greatest advantage.

Forrest admitted in the ring immediately after their first match, (and before he came up with excuses later) that Mora was very hard to figure out and Mora's timing made it difficult for him to get anything going against him. When it comes to experience and skill, it would be fair to say that Forrest edges Pavlik. In this light, it's not hard to envision, Pavlik struggling to mount a consistent, effective attack against Mora's awkward style.

Finally, I believe that Mora will come in fired up, and Pavlik will come in like it's another day on the job. This may ultimately be the most important factor in how the evening plays out for both men. Mora feels he needs to prove to all those who bashed him for turning down the Taylor fight a few years ago, and to those who have written him off after he lost his title to Forrest in the rematch and to those who call him a television created fighter, that not only does he belong in the ring with the champion, but that he has a chance to win.

So... does Sergio Mora have a chance to win? Yes.

Will he win?...

It's a little early for predictions, but I'll at least say this; when it comes to Sergio Mora and Kelly Pavlik, the "experts" have been wrong before.

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