How good was Vernon Forrest?

No i totally agree that speed is Hopkins' kryptonite, but i think it's exagerated that the jab is a big part of that kryptonite. Look at Tarver, his jab was his bread and butter, and he moved in straight lines like Forrest. He can outbox fighters who are technical, Bernard. But if youare going to launch rapid attacks then you have a chance of beating him for sure, like Jones, pure speed, Taylor also, he did it by being fast rather than with his jab. Hopkins was countering that jabbing tendency with lead rights. Forrest's one dimensional boxing style would come unstuck against Bernard in my opinion.

For the record, i do think Forrest had better dimensions than the truly one dimensional Tarver, but the comparisons are still to be drawn.

 

Agreed again.

 

Taylor threw combinations and outworked him (although I had Hopkins winning both fights, including the second by a considerable margin). I didn't think Taylor's jab wasn't particularly effective at all to be honest. He won because Hopkins was gaunt and past his best at the weight, his legs had gone and his speed had been dropping off since the previous decade, meaning he was susceptible to anybody with the athleticism to maneuvre themselves into position and outwork him.

Forrest never faced anyone remotely as good as B-Hop in his entire career.

 

Forrest was a welterweight. Hopkins never beat a true middleweight as good as a prime Shane Mosley.

 

Forrest getting stopped by Mayorga,makes me have doubts about where he stands,there's a few guys that i think would do some serious damage to him.As far as his frame and style,I look at Milton McCroy,who has better power and a more well rounded offensive attack with a jab that was a bit better and he had better foot movement,Curry would KO Forrest.

Back to Mayorga,if he could get to him than someone like Duran would be all up in him,Mayorga certainly wasnt as good as Cuevas,again if Mayorga got to him it may be coma time with Pipino.Honeyghan comes to mind as well he's more talanted than Mayorga,if Mora gave him problems certainly defenders like Benitez and Starling could who both have better offense than most of todays defenders.

I think Napolis gives him fits,Walker as well,even a Mark Brealend who was somewhat smiliar with more pop and reach would be difficult for him,i dont think i can ever remember Forrest being in a fight with a guy as big or as technically sound as him.Now it leaves the grand prizes SRR was a better more powerful version who would have destroyed Mayorga,Forrest's lack of offensive weapons compared to Hearns would be his downfall against Leonard,he just would not have the feet to get on his bycycle the way Hearns did,let alone survive the broken ribs with the mental resolve they way Tommy did,and i dont think he could bust Ray up like that either or really having the true power to really hurt him,on top of that Forrest wasnt really a good finisher even if he got Ray in trouble,Mosely should have been stopped.I see a fight with Hearns going smililar to what the Shuler fight at middleweight went,short and brutal.I really think Whitaker and Simon Brown,Trinidad,ODH would give him trouble to,again if Mayorga ko'd him im pretty sure a bigger more skilled Tito can.So i think Forrest is a good fighter,but far from a great one,and i think he may be getting pretty overrated.