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Vernon Forrest fatally shot in robbery

Vernon-forrest2_medium

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)

by Chaos100 on Jul 26, 2009 12:57 PM EDT reply actions  

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."

by Brickhaus on Jul 26, 2009 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions  

whats going on! strange indeed!

by debi on Jul 26, 2009 2:00 PM EDT reply actions  

I have met Forrest on a few occasions. He was such an awesome guy. Once in an arena for friday night fights I asked him about fighting Paul Williams, who was also there. He looked at me like I was crazy, took his glasses off, and said “No way bro.”

by traydawg on Jul 26, 2009 2:06 PM EDT reply actions  

This is unbelievable. I don’t even know what to say at this point, except he will be remembered.

by keyz on Jul 26, 2009 2:29 PM EDT reply actions  

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.

by cyke on Jul 26, 2009 2:48 PM EDT reply actions  

WTF…..

"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."

by Zocalo on Jul 26, 2009 2:53 PM EDT reply actions  

I am at a loss for words….

"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."

by Zocalo on Jul 26, 2009 2:55 PM EDT reply actions  

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."

by Zocalo on Jul 26, 2009 2:57 PM EDT reply actions  

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"

by Matt Miller on Jul 26, 2009 2:58 PM EDT reply actions  

terrible news … what a streak of bad luck we’re having in the boxing community … rip forrest

by 3zilla on Jul 26, 2009 3:36 PM EDT reply actions  

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)

by BrianBrock on Jul 26, 2009 3:47 PM EDT reply actions  

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."

by Zocalo on Jul 26, 2009 4:52 PM EDT reply actions  

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.

by sonofapsycho on Jul 26, 2009 4:53 PM EDT reply actions  

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."

by Zocalo on Jul 26, 2009 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions  

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."

by Zocalo on Jul 26, 2009 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions  

I want more details about this and Gatti’s deaths. The facts as presented don’t add up. He gave chase and got shot in the back? wtf?

Forrest, Gatti, Arguello. I want more facts on all their deaths, none of them add up to me.

by lcollins1 on Jul 26, 2009 10:34 PM EDT reply actions  

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

by jrok on Jul 27, 2009 11:30 AM EDT reply actions  

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