Vernon Forrest

Why didn't Oscar want anything with him??

Because by the time Forrest became relevant he was fighting at WW and Oscar was picking up his 9th title in his 5th division at Jr. MW.

Because by the time Forrest moved up to 154, Oscar was trying to unify the MW division against Hopkins.

Unfortunately, they never really fought in the same division when it mattered, and Oscar was going after bigger fish.

Forrest's reign only lasted 1 day shy of a year.

 

Vernon was a big puncher. This is a great misconception. The problem is he was not the best finisher! He was a terrible finisher. In his later fights he hurt a prime weight Mayorga to the point where Mayo said in his corner "Damn this black dude hits hard." He basically had Ike wobbling and holding on excessively when he caught him with the uppercut... and had Shane almost out in the 2nd round of their fight. He is a big puncher... but not a good finisher at all. Terrible, any other fighter would've have Shane out of there in the second.

 

:deal

 

I'll tell ya, he did everything he could to finish. It was one hell of a job by Mosley to survive...

 

Forrest's first fight post surgery:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbhSU45fOd8[/ame]

 

It's strange though how Forrest really struggled to deal with Mayorga and yet Oscar handled him with relative ease.

Anyone have any stylistic reasons for this?

 

Forrest's shoulder needed surgery desperately when he fought Mayorga twice, it was a complete mess and took two years to fully heal.

 

Was it his left shoulder? If so that's understandable then. He would have need the left to control Mayorga.

 

yep, Mayorga essentially beat a one armed man and has banked on that ever since.

 

Oscar is a better fighter? :huh
Styles make fights?
Oscar has a better chin?
Oscar is much faster?

 

Forest's style was to stay on the outside and try to box Mayorga. Mayorga threw long looping punches that could connect on the outside.

DLH's strategy was to sit in the pocket and throw short tight punches, effectively nullifying Mayorga's long, wide punches. Plus, DLH has one of the best left hooks ever, so this worked very well for him.

 

All fair points. I think it's just one of those Hearns, Barkley, Duran deals. I would pick Forrest to beat DLH if they fought. Just a weird styles thing.

 

Very underated fighter whom i felt would of been more than a match for Mayweather in his prime. BTW i had him losing clearly to Quartey.

For a textbook fighter he did'nt half ark the right hand in an orthodox fashion.

 

Forrest's reign lasted one year only.

He beat Mosley 01/26/2002 and lost his crown 01/25/2003.

Forrest didn't lose because of a shoulder injury, he lost because he was KTFO!!!

He came into the ring cocky and overconfient, and left humbled.