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Forrest
MICHAEL HOLAHAN/STAFF |
Vernon Forrest has been named the World Boxing Hall of Fame Fighter of the Year. USA Today presented him with a similar award, and The Ring magazine will honor him as its Fighter of the Year.
But on Wednesday, Forrest looked to his Jan. 25 unification bout with Ricardo Mayorga and said he wants to begin 2003 the same way he ended this year - in dominating fashion.
"It will be a very exciting fight," said Forrest, an Augusta native who will put his WBC welterweight title on the line against Mayorga's WBA version in Pechanga Resort and Casino just outside San Diego. "I'm looking forward to adding the WBA title to my collection."
He'll have to get through a tough opponent first.
Mayorga is 24-3-1 with 22 knockouts and is known for his wild, unpredictable style.
Although he's got the three defeats on his record, Mayorga hasn't lost since 1999. After fighting Andrew Lewis to a no-contest in July 2001, he knocked Lewis out in the fifth round of their match in May to win the title.
Mayorga's record, however, doesn't seem to worry Forrest (35-0, 26 knockouts), who is coming off back-to-back wins against Shane Mosley. Nor did Mayorga's prediction of a knockout victory.
"Everybody says that," said Forrest, who's training in Colorado Springs, Colo., for his fight, which will be televised on HBO. "That's just boxing talk. That will be easier said than done ... I'm going to beat him like he stole something."
After he does that, Forrest said, he'll set his sights on Michele Piccirillo, who is in charge of the IBF title Forrest held before abandoning it to fight Mosley in January 2002.
"My plan is to unify the titles," Forrest said. "I want to do something that hasn't been done in a long time. I want to finish what I've started."
Reach Josh Katzowitz at (706) 823-3216 or josh.katzowitz@augustachronicle.com.
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