Boxing

 

Mayorga Disrupts The Forrest

Mike Samuels

26.01 - Where there's smoke there's fire. And just 364 days after Vernon Forrest battered then pound-for-pound king Shane Mosley, and gained all the respect he had been craving since turning pro after the 92' Olympic games, Forrest was caught in the cross aim of Ricardo Mayorga and knocked out in just three rounds.

The smoke came from Mayorga's fists, as he threw all types of shots - power, jabs, hooks, body punches, off-balance and somehow on target - and caught Forrest up against the ropes. Which, if you weren't born yesterday to the game of boxing, it would surprise you that Forrest ever put himself in a position to bang it out against the ropes.

The fire, you ask? It surely didn't come Forrest's fists. Instead it came from Ricardo Mayorga's eyes. With each shot that the universally recognized champion threw, Mayorga would come forward, wave his hands in the air, bob his head up in a somewhat snotty manner and ask for more.

The first round saw Forrest move from side to side and keep the fight at a safe distance. Mayorga would swing wildly, but never land anything of great danger to the Viper. But his punches were thrown with bad intentions, and that's ultimately how you win a round when the other fighter (Forrest) isn't doing much but moving and slipping.

The night saw its controversy (Controversy, what's that?) at the end of the first round when Forrest appeared to get his feet tangled together and slip to the canvas just as Mayorga was throwing wild hooks and crosses to his shoulders and neck. It was ruled a knockdown, and a proper call from this writer's take. Forrest wasn't hurt or really even hit with much, but in the event that a fighter goes down - whether it be a slip or not - and punches are thrown, and they land, it's a tough decision but the referee doesn't get instant replay or a second chance to look things over like the household fan. This wasn't the first time it has happened to a fighter, and it surely won't be the last.

At the start of the second round Forrest rushed Mayorga and began trading shots with him like he was a caged animal just released after a three-month stay at the city pound. Perhaps it was an attempt to get Mayorga to respect him, a way to show him that he wasn't backing down from his attack and the previous knockdown was merely a fluke.

A way for Forrest to say, "Hey man, don't get your hopes up."

Instead of discouraging Mayorga, it only made his blood boil. After the second round Mayorga told his corner, "Damn, this black guy hits hard." But that didn't stop him from entering the third round with a timid approach to the Vipers power. As the third round began both men swung wildly and caution to the wind. Forrest was hit with a clean and wild left hook that stunned him, and that's when Mayorga followed his attack up with right hand from down under that caught Forrest on the lower part of his jaw, towards a small area of his neck. A dazed and confused Forrest slowly made his way up, but didn't respond to the referee in a way that proved he could continue. Although Forrest said afterwards that he felt he could have continued, like most fighters do when they lose - especially when it's there first professional defeat - he didn't throw a fit, or contest the call when he was holding himself up with the ropes. Perhaps something of that nature may have kept the fight moving, but then again, the referee's job is to secure a fighters safety. Therefore, I see no controversy with the stoppage.

Interestingly enough, a rematch is guaranteed in the contract of both fighters and Forrest is eagerly awaiting another chance to prove he didn't bring the right game plan this time around. You can bet your live savings that Forrest b-o-x-e-s the next time around, or else we'll see a replay of what happened in this fight. Mayorga is definitely helping his cause coming off a knockout of Andrew Lewis and now stopping Forrest. That combined with his generally fan-pleasing style is a sure thing that boxing fans will see him again, and wherever or against whomever, it's a genuine call for excitement.

Sugar-maniacs across the globe are going nuts over this fights outcome. And yet, the question of egos and attitude come in to play when the typical fan watches this fight over again ( I know I will). For one, Forrest has come off two great victories over the highly rated Shane Mosley, he's become a star over night after working his ass off, and he's just now getting the respect he's deserved forever. Throw in a multi-million dollar six fight deal with HBO and other codes of chaos that all champions feel, and you've got an interesting concept.

And what about that ring entrance? Not to say that rap music and a bunch of wild people and surroundings cause a fighter to lose in the ring, but where was that show in his first two fights with Mosley? I didn't see it, but then again, I do where contacts.

Boxing isn't blind to outside influence and what it can do to a fighter. Forrest may have just had a bad day - a bad game plan - but the likes of outside people have ruined the careers of Mike Tyson and put a giant hole in that of Zab Judah and his invincible approach to the game. It's not jumping to conclusions, but something that I'm sure people will begin to think about.

Forrest's loss tonight will spark up a new range of questions, but excuse, no excuse, reason or not, Ricardo Mayorga proved that he's a champion.

Questions or Comments? E-Mail Tyson180@aol.com

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