:boxing: Boxing Bits ::07.27.09:: Vernon Forrest (1971-2009)

The month of July has not been a merciful one for the world of boxing, as another tragedy has resulted in another fighter's life being cut short outside of the ring. Former champion Vernon Forrest was shot and killed Saturday night in Atlanta after being the subject of an attempted carjacking. He, along with his girlfriend's young son, stopped at a gas station to refill a tire on his Jaguar. The details from there vary to some degree among reports (including an account from his manager in the linked article, which is differs from others), but in general, his vehicle was being stolen when Forrest gave suit and chased the attempted robbers until he lost sight of them and headed back, which was when he was fatally shot multiple times by them from behind.

Though it is easy to bring up his accomplishments over the years, from being an Olympian and the first person to defeat Shane Mosley (back-to-back) to returning to form from a few years marred by injuries to win the WBC Light Middleweight Championship in 2007 and regaining the belt from then-undefeated Contender winner Sergio Mora this past September in a rematch (his final fight) after losing it a few months before, what is perhaps of greater importance was his work with children and mentally-handicapped adults, which he seemed to have a great deal of love for. That fact alone makes the unfortunate news so tragic and the act that led up to it all the more shameful. My condolences to his family.