Vernon Forrest fatally shot in robbery
by Brickhaus on Jul 26, 2009 12:40 PM EDT
in Boxing News Analysis
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Vernon Forrest
1971-2009
Current WBC light middleweight titlist Vernon Forrest was shot and killed last night during a robbery. According to news reports, Forrest was at a gas station, filling the air in the tires of his car, when he was robbed by an individual. After getting robbed, Forrest gave chase, and being armed himself, exchanged gunfire with the robber, getting shot 7 or 8 times in the back.
Forrest was a four-time titlist, having won belts twice at welterweight and twice at junior middleweight. Perhaps he is best known for his series of fights with Sugar Shane Mosley and Ricardo Mayorga, where he twice beat Mosley, followed by being twice beaten by Mayorga. In addition, Forrest was active in charity work, having helped found a group home for mentally challenged young adults.
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Sorry, but this doesn't add up.
“After getting robbed, Forrest gave chase”
“getting shot 7 or 8 times in the back.”
Strange times for boxing right now.
Boxing is the beginning of all sports. I'm willing to bet that the first sport was a man against another man in a fight. (Omar Epps)
Yeah, the facts seem a little fuzzy
In some reports, Forrest shot at them, in others he didn’t. There were two suspects though. I’m guessing what happened is that Forrest chased the robber, and when he pulled out his own gun, the other guy shot him in the back.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Damn
WTF is going on? Vernon was one of the most technically sound fighters. I was hoping that he could get some high profile fights and shake up his division before retiring. Sad news.
Terrible. Just terrible.
I think Large over at No-Mas summed this trend up best:
But now he’s dead, a victim of some random thuggery and his own instinct to fight back. R.I.P. Vernon and God bless. As for the rest of you fighters out there, for Pete’s sake, be safe and watch your back, because some very nasty vibe is loose in the atmosphere lately and it seems to have the best of the boxing world in its crosshairs.
"Umm - it was - you know - umm - a good game. You know."
-Patrick Ewing
by Thelonious Dunk on Jul 26, 2009 2:56 PM EDT reply actions
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=4356715
"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."
so sad
This is the most tragic month for boxing that I can ever remember.
Boxing writer: "Iran, what are you going to do when you retire?"
Iran Barkley: "Rob your house"
RIP Vernon Forrest
tragic :((
We're all given some sort of skill in life. Mine just happens to be beating up on people. (Sugar Ray Leonard)
i didn’t really care for him as a fighter, but it always sucks when a fighter dies and its even worse when they die as horrifically as vernon did.
RIP vernon
The Dude Abides
by battle axe of doom on Jul 26, 2009 4:52 PM EDT reply actions
Via Iole
http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ki-forrest072609&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
Forrest, 38, was shot and killed Saturday during a robbery, Atlanta police said. One of his trainers and closest friends, Charles Watson, told an Atlanta television station that Forrest stopped at a Mechanicsville, Ga., gas station to fix a problem with a tire when the incident occurred. He offered money to a man who helped him and was soon surrounded by several men, who somehow took his wallet, Watson told WXIA-TV. Watson told the station that Forrest scuffled with the men briefly in an apparent attempt to regain his wallet. One of the men jumped out of the car and shot him in the back of the head and then shot him six more times while he was on the ground.
It was a tragic end to a life filled with the highest highs and the lowest lows.
"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."
strange details indeed
i’m guessing he first chased them away when he pulled his gun, then when he turned his back they fired at him?
crazy story. he was one of a good guys in boxing. i’ll remember him for his charity work in Atlanta and how he brought all underprivileged kids to his fights.
damn good fighter as well. he was shane mosleys kryptonite for sure.
Here is the prefight talk when Forrest/Mosley II
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwojVxwp3A0
Talks about his life outside the ring… pretty touching stuff.
"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."
wow i knew mosley lost to forrest, but i didn’t know he got demolished by him.
The Dude Abides
by battle axe of doom on Jul 26, 2009 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions
he beat his ass pretty bad the first fight.
the second was closer but still was about 8-4 in rounds.
by sonofapsycho on Jul 26, 2009 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions
The first knockdown was just nasty. I know Mosley was still buzzed from getting a headbutt but still. He unloaded on him and got hit 3 times flush. it is impressive how Mosley got out of the round.
"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."
The facts add up if there were a group of assailants. But, yeah, the details are still fuzzy right now. It’s just horrible to think about him going down like that.
Jesus, this has been an awful summer for boxing. It’s hard to see how things could get much worse.
"This fight'll be the nastiest thing you'll ever see. I been sober for six weeks, and that makes me vicious."
-- Randall 'Tex' Cobb
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