Vernon Forrest

Vernon Forrest (February 12, 1971 – July 25, 2009) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2008.

However, he was stricken with food poisoning a day before his first round bout and was beaten by Peter Richardson, who he'd previously defeated in a fight at the 1991 World Amateur Boxing Championships en route to winning the silver medal.

After compiling an impressive 225–16 record as an amateur, he became the 1992 US junior welterweight champion, and won silver at the 1991 World Amateur Boxing Championships, losing in the finals to Kostya Tszyu.

Forrest was the first in his family to graduate from high school receiving his diploma from Marquette Senior High School in Marquette, Michigan.

Staying in Marquette, Forrest was on scholarship to Northern Michigan University where he majored in business administration through the U.S. Olympic Education Center.

Forrest continued to train with the US National Team under head coach Al Mitchell.

He was a member of the 1992 US Olympic Team during the Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

He earned his Olympic position by beating Shane Mosley in the trials.

After that fight, Forrest was the gold medal favorite heading into the tournament.

He would have to fight Cuban fighter Hector Vinent, a gold medallist, before reaching that goal.

He returned home to Augusta, then moved to Las Vegas, and made his professional debut on November 25, 1992.

In his professional debut in November 1992, Forrest defeated Charles Hawkins.

Through 1996, Forrest stopped 13 out of 15 opponents.

Five were stopped in the first round.

As the years went by Forrest won a few minor title belts.

In the year 2000 Forrest finally got his chance to fight for a major title belt against Raul Frank (for the IBF welterweight title).

Unfortunately for Forrest however, a cut caused by an accidental head butt ended the bout in round three and the fight was ruled a no contest.

Forrest met Frank again in a rematch at Madison Square Garden on May 12, 2001, on a Félix Trinidad undercard.

Forrest dominated his opponent and won the fight by a unanimous decision to claim his first major professional boxing title.

In 2001, Forrest fought the WBC and lineal welterweight champion, Shane Mosley.

Many considered Mosley to be the best fighter in the world, and he was the betting favorite to win the fight.

Despite being the favorite, Mosley was dominated in this bout.

Both fighters initially started strong, landing hard blows, but in the second round Forrest had Mosley hurt early and knocked him down for the first time in his career.

A series of strong punches would put him down yet again later in the round.

With his dominant performance, Forrest was also awarded the Ring Magazine welterweight title.

Six months later, Forrest once again squared off against Mosley in a rematch.

Despite a stronger performance from Mosley, Forrest won a clear cut decision, using his jab more effectively and through superior ring generalship.

Forrest was now considered by many to be one of the top fighters in the world.

He held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the WBC, IBF, Ring magazine and lineal welterweight between 2002 and 2003, and the WBC super welterweight title twice between 2007 and 2009.

In 2002, Forrest was named Fighter of the Year by The Ring and the Boxing Writers Association of America.

In January 2003, Forrest fought the WBA welterweight champion, Ricardo Mayorga.

Mayorga was a mostly unknown fringe contender from Nicaragua and few gave him a chance to win against the significantly bigger and stronger Forrest.

Mayorga shocked the world when he easily dominated Forrest, dropping him once in the first round and again in the third round.

The referee would call off the fight after the second knockdown, as Forrest was visibly dazed and unable to get his footing.

Forrest would rematch Mayorga six months later, losing again, this time by a majority decision.

The bout was close and competitive, with Mayorga mostly chasing Forrest around the ring while Forrest was content to fight from the outside.

Forrest took two years off from fighting because of injuries; Forrest had complete reconstructive surgery on his left arm.

He had three surgeries two on his shoulder to repair a torn rotator cuff and one on his left elbow to repair torn cartilage and nerve damages.

In 2009, Forrest was murdered after he was robbed at a gas station in the Mechanicsville neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia.

A native of Augusta, Georgia, Forrest began boxing at the age of 9.