Jr. Middleweight indigestion at the Garden!

By Damon “LatinBox” Gonzalez

Photos By Donnell “DGVET” Gonzalez
 

New York – Jr. Middleweight fighter Vernon “The Viper” Forrest goes to 38-2, 28 KO’s with his unanimous decision gift given to him by the New York State Boxing Commission 3 judges, Lets face it, it was a fight that upset my stomach after the decision announced by Hall of Fame Announcer, Michael Buffer. A very loud roar of “Bull Shavers”  from the crowed on hand at the famous Theater at Madison Square Garden.

 

This bout started off hostile as referee Author Mercante, Jr. made it clear to Forrest “Don’t Start” repeatedly warning him after his clear protest to touch gloves with Ike Quartey 37-3-1, 31 KO’s  right before the first bell.  Action begins with Forrest adding good athletic pressure on Quartey, from the opening bell, Quartey not responding quickly to the fast start of the quicker Forrest taking the first round easily.

In two Quartey saw the opening and took it, He began to throw the solid hard left hook to the face of Forrest followed by two good solid rights, Quartey jumped inside very quickly and began to fight in very close distance that was not honored by Forrest who continued to stay in there bang with him take his shots and jump out of range by shooting the quick jab.

 

Third round both fighters get into a good exchange in the center of the ring, Forrest throwing

Good punches right to the body of Quartey, who kept on coming forward into the storm. Quartey not letting his hands go got caught with a very hard upper cut given by Forrest that hurt him as he quickly grabbed Forrest and tangled him up right when referee Mercante, Jr. was having no part of it and pulling them apart. Forrest was warned later in the round by the referee for holding.

 

Quartey certainly showing signs of fatigue with exposing himself in the round to Forrest, There was good signs of stamina in the 4^th from Quartey continuing to come forward and drop the bombs and hard hooks on Forrest who could not get set as he was getting whacked,  Quartey not adjusting after keeping his head straight up after every jab thrown giving Forrest the window to catch him in countering every single time.

 In the 5^th very tuff to score as both fighters kind of took the round of in action but Quartey wearing the jacket in the round, keeping busy and not giving Forrest any good opportunities. Both fighters snapped out of there tea break and got more busy in the 7^th, Quartey continued to land a solid left hook to the head of Forrest, who pretty much stayed with the jab the entire night.

 

In the 8^th Forrest coming on with digging to the body of Quartey, then setting up the jab, Quartey was not having nothing of it as he pressed and countered shot per shot, Quartey landed two hard solid right hands that kept Forrest jogging away from the action in the ring. In the 9^th both fighters in exchange Forrest dropped a low blow that hurt Quartey and gave referee Author Mercante, Jr. to deduct a point from Forrest in my eyes just set him a little more back in my scorecard.

 

Quartey winning the 10^th round by fighting with harder sense of control of the round and the fight, all three NYS Judges scored the fight 95-94 twice and 96-93 for the bogus unanimous decision. I had the fight 96-93 for Quartey.