Report: Vernon Forrest Gunned Down During Attempted Carjacking in Atlanta

The tragic news continues for the boxing community just as it was coming to grips with the death of Arturo Gatti. ESPN is reporting that Vernon Forrest is dead, shot multiple times by men attempting to steal his Jaguar at a gas station in Atlanta.

According to the report, Forrest had his own gun and attmepted to chase the would-be carjackers. However, he was struck by gunfire seven or eight times in the process, including once in the head.

It's a sad end to the story of The Viper, who appeared to still have some gas left in the tank even at age 38. Last September he easily avenged a loss to Sergio Mora to regain his WBC light middleweight title, and he was originally scheduled to fight Sergio Martinez in August before a training injury derailed those plans.

His height and the resulting awkward angles from which he punched gave opponents fits, most notably one of my favorite boxers, Shane Mosley. Forrest handed Sugar Shane his first ever loss in January 2002, then won a closer but still unanimous decision during their rematch six months later.

However The Viper had his own problems fighting a man with a style vastly different from his own just as HBO formed big plans for him. That man was brawler Ricardo Mayorga, who stunned Forrest with a third-round TKO in January 2003 then squeaked out a unanimous decision when they met again that July.

Though he suffered from various injuries and a lower profile after those losses, Forrest won five straight from 2005 to 2007 and won a title in a second weight class when he knocked out Michele Piccirillo in December 2007.

Posted by The Franchise