Vernon Forrest vs. Ricardo Mayorga

Vernon Forrest vs. Ricardo Mayorga was a professional boxing match contested on January 25, 2003, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California. The fight was a unification match, with Forrest's World Boxing Council and The Ring welterweight world championships at stake along with Mayorga's World Boxing Association Super championship.

Fight information
The bout was televised by HBO as part of its then-ongoing World Championship Boxing series. Jim Lampley called the fight with Larry Merchant and George Foreman as analysts. Harold Lederman served as unofficial scorekeeper.

The fight's referee was Marty Denkin, with Raul Caiz, Sr., John Keane, and Jon Schorle acting as judges.

Background
Forrest had won the WBC welterweight championship from Shane Mosley on January 26, 2002, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden Despite being a 7 to 1 underdog and facing a fighter who had been regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world at that time, Forrest won a lopsided unanimous decision in a fight where he dropped Mosley twice. Mosley sought an immediate rematch, which took place in Indianapolis on July 20, 2002; although the fight was closer on the scorecards this time, Forrest managed to retain his championship.

Mayorga had fought for and won several regional Latin American light welterweight and welterweight championships by the time he stepped in the ring with Andrew Lewis for the WBA welterweight championship on July 28, 2001, in Los Angeles. The fight ended in a no contest after Lewis was cut by an accidental clash of heads in the second round. Mayorga would emerge victorious in the rematch on March 30, 2002, in Reading, Pennsylvania, knocking Lewis out in the fifth round.

The fight
Forrest began the fight by refusing to touch gloves with Mayorga. Mayorga responded by coming out aggressively against the WBC champion, landing an early power shot that hurt Forrest. Eventually his punches resulted in Forrest going down, and Mayorga continued the aggressive punching as the bell rang to end the round. Forrest responded in the second round by going with a more aggressive strategy, implored on by his opponent who refused to back down.

Mayorga would land a hard shot to Forrest's head in the third round that buckled Forrest's legs as he went down for a second time. Denkin began his count as Forrest staggered to his feet, but after Forrest failed to respond to his questions after taking the count, Denkin called a halt to the fight and Mayorga won by technical knockout.

Aftermath
He celebrated his victory, among other ways, by smoking a cigarette during his postfight interview; Mayorga, when not training, was known to be a heavy smoker.

Undercard
Confirmed bouts: