Boxing

 

Forrest vs. Mosley - The Viper Neutralizes Sugar

By Ed Ludwig

21.07 - Vernon Forrest (35-0 26 KO's) successfully retained his WBC Welterweight title over "Sugar" Shane Mosley (38-2 35 KO's). The rematch took place at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indiana and after witnessing a stinker I would think that this was fought in an outhouse. Forrest won via unanimous decision. The official scores were 115-113, 116-112 and 117-111. I had the fight in favour of the champ, 116-114. I had two even rounds.

Shane Mosley came out like wildfire after the opening bell and soon fizzled out after that. The majority of the fight consisted of clinching and the occasional foul. There was no points deducted from either fighter but referee Laurence Cole warned both for using dirty tactics. To me it looked like the only game plan for Mosley was a quick knockout and after the first few rounds it became apparent that it was not going to happen.

Mosley looked confused and Forrest took everything that came his way with little difficulty. The champion kept his composure throughout despite some of the questionable tactics used by Mosley and he deserved the victory. Most boxing fans expected a war and we were all disappointed with how the fight played out. Both fighters seemed reluctant to take any chances and open things up.

With all the talk leading up to this especially from Shane Mosley I expected a lot more from him. The friendship that preceded their first encounter was clearly over with by the time the rematch took place. Much of the attention prior to tonight was surrounding the head butt in the first fight. The fact of the matter is that Mosley lost the first time and nothing will change that.

Vernon Forrest has two decisive victories over Shane Mosley whom many perceived as the top pound for pound fighter in the world. Maybe the pressure of being viewed as a potential all time great was more than Mosley could handle. Forrest on the other hand will be followed much more closely than he ever has before and I am sure the expectations from this new star will be high.

Vernon Forrest is in control of his own destiny. If he doesn't let the pressure get to him or develop an attitude of invincibility then he has a long and glorious road ahead of him. If you don't believe me then take a look at the man that he has defeated twice. Forrest proved that Mosley was not indestructible and he should keep that in mind and I am sure he will.

As for the former champion his road will lead to the Jr. Middleweight division. It is a good move and he can redeem himself against the best of the 154 lbs class. In all honesty Mosley has nothing to prove. In boxing and other sports there is certain people or teams depending on the sport where one has the others number. Jack Dempsey lost twice against Gene Tunney. Iran Barkley defeated Thomas Hearns twice and yet when we look back, Dempsey and Hearns are still viewed as all time greats.

Calling Mosley an all time great is a bit premature but in time he certainly can be put in that class if he can regroup and not get side tracked with his two recent losses. The Vernon Forrest saga is beginning and for Shane Mosley the new chapter will start with a move up to 154. The best part of the evening for me was when Forrest went into the crowd following the decision to celebrate his win with his friends known as Destiny's Children. They are a group of developmentally challenged young adults he works with in his hometown of Atlanta. Vernon Forrest represents what is good in boxing and he is a true role model. Congratulations Vernon. Not only are you a great athlete but you are a class act.


Forrest bursts Mosley's bubble again

By Murali Para

21.07 - Last night's rematch between Vernon Forrest and Shane Mosley was for the WBC and IBF portions of the welterweight championship of the world, and was held in the Conseco Field House in Indianapolis, where some 18,000 fans gathered in eager anticipation. It was billed as 'the Rematch of the Century' and, while it certainly fell short of that mark, it did provide good entertainment. The questions were there to be answered: was Mosley - compared by some to the other 'Sugarmen', Ray Robinson and Ray Leonard, before his initial loss to Forrest - really badly shaken by the head butt in the first fight? Or did Vernon 'the Viper' Forrest really have 'Sugar' Shane's number? All would be revealed.

In the opening rounds, Mosley abandoned his customary silky, smooth skills in favour of an all-out assault on Forrest. Clearly, he was not messing around here. Even so, there was a sense that Mosley was a little too fired up, and needed to settle. It was very much an even fight early on, with Mosley connecting with some good right hands and showing good hand speed. The champion answered with decent shots of his own, working behind the jab as he did so successfully in the first fight.

Several of the middle rounds were scrappy and poor, if we remember that we were watching elite fighters, rated very highly in the mythical pound-for-pound rankings. Forrest lost his confidence slightly and became ragged, stretching out with his punches rather than setting himself, and Mosley was often no more effective. There was much clinching and stumbling around the ring. Nevertheless, Mosley did win a few rounds - the 4th and 5th - very decisively.

Realising he was slipping, Forrest showed the qualities of a true champion and stepped up a gear in
the second half of the fight where, it could be said, he never really looked to be in trouble. Forrest did not manage to hit Mosley with crashing right hands and frequent left hooks as he did in the first fight. But he did control the ebb and flow of the fight and Mosley, while he landed occasional good single shots, was not able to sustain his attacks.

Perhaps the most competitive of the later rounds was the 10th. Here we saw the best body shots of the contest traded off between the fighters, but again Forrest shaded the round by being that little bit busier, and landing a good overhand right from time to time. Surprisingly, the fighters were not keen to raise their activity levels in the final two rounds, partly because of mutual respect and partly because both fighters seemed to believe they had, by this point, done enough to win.

Mosley was understandably deflated when a unanimous decision (115-113, 116-112, 117-111) was announced in favour of Forrest, but I thought that the judging here was free of controversy. The fight was close, but I had Forrest winning it by 4 points, even though so many of the rounds he had only shaded. So Vernon Forrest kept his perfect record, improving to 35-0 (26) and Shane Mosley sustained his second consecutive loss to go 38-2 (35).

It did very much seem to be the case that Forrest is a nightmare for Mosley stylistically, with 'Sugar' Shane only able to lunge in with single shots to little effect. Forrest meanwhile displayed his composure under pressure and his excellent boxing skills, as well as the fact that he simply has Mosley's number. Mosley spoke of a move to 154 lbs where he may do well, but he does struggle with an opponent's jab (De la Hoya's as well as Forrest's). Forrest, meanwhile, can do pretty much anything he wants to. There are no limits for him.

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