This past July 1992 U.S. Olympian and two-time world champion Vernon Forrest was shot to death in his home town of Atlanta after he chased after an assailant. Forrest had a distinguished boxing career where he handed Shane Mosley his first two losses and was the WBC 154 pound champion at the time of his death. Just prior to the tragic incident, Vernon had engaged in a two bout series with Sergio Mora, the winner of the first season of NBC’s Contender. Mora pulled out a close win in the first fight and then lost a lopsided decision in the rematch in September of 2008. Those were the last two fights in the career of Forrest and even though Vernon said some demeaning things about Mora following their rematch, not to many experiences are as intimate as taking part in two championship fights with an adversary. In an exclusive interview with www.FightFanNation.com’s Brent Matteo Alderson, Mora expressed his thoughts about his fallen rival and commented, “Life is life. I learned a lot from Vernon Forrest obviously. The first fight I was very well prepared for, the second fight I came in a little overweight, dehydrated. Either way I went 24 rounds with a hall of famer, a great fighter in Vernon. I learned a lot from a cagey veteran. What happened to him was unfortunate, but he went out as a fighter. He could have just got mugged and leave it at that, but he went after the guy that mugged him, and that shows what type of character he had. May God rest his soul and he’s in a better place, but I’m still here doing my thing and I am going to represent for him in his next fight.” Mora is backing Mayweather in his potential showdown with Manny Pacquiao and commented, “Mayweather. He’s just smarter and faster. Styles make fights and it should be an exciting fight and you will finally see Mayweather get tested, but Mayweather, he’s just one of a kind.”
