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Shane Mosley narrowed the gap on his bogey man Vernon Forrest, but that was all and still came up short on july 20th in 2002 at the Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana. Its been 21 yrs since that amazing display of boxing talent. Both were the best in that division at that time.
After 12 disappointing rounds Forrest beat the Californian again by unanimous decision to retain the WBC welterweight title he won from Mosley six months earlier. "There was a lot of clinching," admitted Mosley. "That’s part of the game. I was being cautious when he darted in.” -Mosely
Forrest had proved again he was the best welterweight in the world, yet he remained relatively unknown outside of boxing.
Forrest, then 31 years old, wasn’t one to seek the limelight: "I don’t have an entourage". "When you see Vernon Forrest all you see is me.” Aside from boxing, Forrest’s other passion was helping mentally disabled and homeless children with his charity Destiny’s Child. “Everybody needs love,” he said.
Forrest was so passionate about the cause he used much of his own money to fund the project. He even came under investigation when large sums were moved from his account and lenders began to suspect he was involved in money laundering.
"It was truly his calling," Forrest's publicist, Kelly Swanson, said of his work with children. "When he wasn't boxing, this was his full-time job." To me thats what made him great, the person he was as much as the amazing fighter. Forrest was tragically shot and killed during an attempted robbery on July 25, 2009 in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.
He was just 38 years old. He is truly missed.
