Vernon “The Viper” Forrest vs. Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga
(35-0-0-26 KO’s) (23-3-1-22 KO’s)

By Frank Gonzalez Jr.

26.01 - If you missed Vernon vs. Mayorga Saturday night at the Pechanga, I hope you were having the time of your life because you missed one hell of a three round fight. It was scheduled for 12 but fate had other plans this weekend. Things that weren’t supposed to happen happened. The Twenty-first Century Fight Gods have been generous so far. The same way they gave us Mosley Forrest I and II, they gave us Gatti Ward I and II, Dorin Balbi I and don’t forget Barrera Morales. Now, Forrest Mayorga, in the classic battle between boxer vs. brawler.

Vernon Forrest has been plugging away in obscurity long before rising to the spotlight of Boxing’s most celebrated. After he dismantled the heavily hyped “pound-for-pound great” Shane Mosley once, and then soundly a second time in a fight full of more holding and less excitement, he was a big star.

Vernon was gracious with his celebrity though. He has made helpful contributions to some special people outside the Ring and seems a sincere, likable fellow. He never took to boasting in his newly found media exposure. He didn’t have the million-dollar smile of Shane Mosley, but he had succeeded him nonetheless. Forrest is proof that its what you do in the ring that defines you more than what people say.

Forrest stole Mosley’s limelight.

We always coronate the winners, until they lose anyway. It’s about as ridiculous as the idea of being the pound for pound best fighter. That crown gets moved more than a nut in the shell game.

A lot of people don’t know who Ricardo Mayorga is. I recall his fights with Andrew “6 Heads” Lewis, the rematch of a No Contest first fight ended up in a brutal KO5 in the rematch. Then there was the ugly fight with Diobelys Hurtado that ended as a Technical Draw. What I’ve learned is that Mayorga’s a vicious puncher who seems to have more testosterone than man on the planet. Arrogance might be one way to describe his ring presence. If you hit him with a big shot, he’ll just suck it up and invite you back to do it again. I think he likes to be hit a few times to warm up.

Mayorga’s squinty, dark eyes look cold and malicious. His level of self-assuredness is almost repelling. But once you see him fight, you’ll agree, he’s a monster in the Ring. He imposed his will against a fighter considered one of Boxing’s most skillful. He beat the Devil out of “6 Heads” Lewis, attacking him without concern for Lewis’ punches. He’s got a chin of iron and a lot more skills than he’s given credit for. People didn’t know him. Well, now they will.

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The Fight

Mayorga enters the Ring carrying two little flags. One of Costa Rica and one of Nicaragua, the two Central American countries he calls home. A portion of the crowd cheers while some boo.

Suddenly, a loud thumping bass shakes the audience as Vernon makes his entrance to the Ring accompanied by a very corpulent fellow in a basketball jersey yelling incoherently into the microphone. Somehow, I just don’t think this image is complimentary to Forrest, who seems a real gentleman.

As Referee Marty Denkin gives final instructions, Forrest refuses to touch gloves with Mayorga. Mayorga grimaces happily.

Round 1

Forrest is taller and has longer range, he boxes cautiously early until Ricardo throws a big punch almost a minute into the round. Vernon counters and works a circle around his opponent. Forrest has notably finer skills. Mayorga shows good fundamentals, boxes well with Forrest and when feels ready, attacks with thunderous fury. He catches Vernon a few times and at one point, with Forrest in an awkward position, Mayorga follows up on a right with a left hook that hits Forrest’s right shoulder and causes him to lose his balance. He goes down. Referee Marty Denkin calls it a knock down. It was a knockdown. A punch caused the fall. The bell rang and Mayorga steals the first round with the knockdown.

Vernon looked uncomfortable in his corner as Ronnie Shields barked orders about staying in the center of the Ring, etc.

Round 2

Forrest comes out aggressive in an attempt to show Mayorga that he wouldn’t be bullied. He seems to abandon a strategy that would make more sense, utilizing his prowess, instead of fighting on Mayorga’s terms. He catches Mayorga with a few good shots. Ricardo absorbs them easily and invites Vernon back for more. Every time Mayorga comes in-- it’s a war. Mayorga attacks and scores with big shots and little regard for Vernon’s power. I was on my feet screaming watching this fight! The second round was a brawl, where both scored well. I scored it even but it looked like Forrest was hurt more by Mayorga’s overhand rights. Mayorga saunters tauntingly as he walks back to his corner.

Round 3

Mayorga was able to score and defend as he bobbed and weaved and feinted, always moving his head and always looked to hit Forrest with bad intentions. Forrest tags him with a nice combination of power-shots that bobbled Mayorga’s head. As Forrest steps back to admire his work, Mayorga invites him back for more. Ricardo rode the better end of the swinging momentum and caught Forrest with some big right hands. Forrest was unable to maintain any clinches in this fight, as Mayorga is too dangerous to get too close to. Forrest tried to clinch, then pushed Mayorga into the ropes. Denkin warned Vernon and the action continued. A moment later, the Ref warned Mayorga about hitting behind the head.

Action resumed and Mayorga caught Forrest with some hooks of his own and pummeling Vernon into the ropes, he lands an overhand right on the left temple of Forrest that sends him down. As he’s going down, Mayorga is still trying to hit him and Forrest looked as though he landed with his legs in an awkward position. Denkin counts as Forrest rises. Denkin accesses that Forrest is still hurt as he waves a finger back and forth and Vernon doesn’t respond to it. He stops the fight on the count of nine. It’s over. Vernon Forrest pushed out his mouthpiece and didn’t argue the stoppage.

What wasn’t supposed to happen happened.

Not only did Mayorga take Forrest out but he took the Judges out too. Who knows what might happen should a fight go the distance against a popular champion? Then again, Mayorga is a Don King fighter, so that might not have mattered. Either way, it was Mayorga’s KO power that resolved the issue. Not questionable scorecards.

Mayorga defied the odds makers and the Boxing public that expected Forrest to not only win, but to expose Mayorga as just another brawler with little chance against a master boxer. For all the criticism 6 Heads Lewis took after Mayorga, you have to at least give him credit for lasting five rounds, where Forrest only lasted a little more than two. Now Ricardo Mayorga is the new WBC and WBA Welterweight Champion.

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During the post fight interviews, Mayorga gave praises to Don King as if he were a deity in his only show of humility. HBO’s Ray Torres did his usual terrible job of mis-translating what Ricardo said. Spanish speaking fans had to laugh at that piece of work. Afterwards, Larry Merchant offered Mayorga a cigarette, in a cheap gesture to reinforce the fact that Mayorga isn’t your average athlete. He’s rumored to smoke two packs a day and drink regularly when not in training. Training was over.

The Welterweight division is well stocked with some tough customers in IBF Champion Michele Piccirillo, WBO Champion Antonio Margarito, Shane Mosley and a few others. There are also guys like Kostya Tszyu, at 140-pounds, who cleaned up his division enough to move up to Welterweight or guys like De La Hoya, who might flirt with going down from 154 to 147 to avoid Mosley or Winky Wright. I doubt Oscar would risk a Mayorga fight, though I’d love to see the result of that one. Actually, I can’t wait to see Mayorga fight again. His style is going to be very difficult for any of the top guys to deal with. Don’t believe me? Just ask Vernon Forrest.

Mayorga is an interesting person, like a shark or a tiger is an interesting animal to observe. You don’t want to get too close, but you do want to see. All I can say is that he’s great for Boxing. He puts on a memorable performance and is proof that sometimes, Will is better than Skill.

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Agree or disagree? Feel free to send comments to: dshark87@hotmail.com