Sharkie’s Machine
By Frank Gonzalez Jr.
August 5th, 2006
“The Viper and The Bazooka At The Garden”
-Photo Credit: Bob Kolb-
Some questions were answered about the
reincarnations of Vernon “The Viper” Forrest (38-2, 28
KO’s) and Ike “Bazooka” Quartey (37-3-1,31 KO’s)
Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. Either guy
would make fair opponents for the division’s elites,
represented by the current crop of WBA Champ, Jose
Rivera, IBF Champ, Corey Spinks, WBC Champ, Oscar De
La Hoya or relatively unknown WBO Champ, Sergeii
Dzinziruk.
I think Kassim Ouma (25-2-1, 15 KO’s) would probably
beat all of the above but has the smallest chance of
getting the big names to fight him after again
demonstrating his tenacious style in a convincing win
over unbeaten Sechew Powell (now 20-1, 12 KO’s). I
wouldn’t write off Powell though, he’s still young and
learning. His experience vs. Ouma should pay good
dividends in the future. A rematch between Ouma and
Roman Karmazin (34-2-1, 21 KO’s) might be an
interesting redemption match for both.
Fighting at 154-pounds, Quartey and Forrest showed
decent stamina, durability and ring generalship.
Quartey landed the better punches at a higher clip.
Forrest showed that he can still box well and that his
left shoulder has healed enough to fight
competitively. Neither looked like world-beaters but
it was good match making for two former World
Champions on the rebound.
Forrest showed poor sportsmanship early on by refusing
to touch gloves during at the start of the fight. Bad
blood? No—just bad manners.
*
Forrest started fast, throwing jabs and combinations,
circling round the shorter Quartey, who used his
signature, “bazooka” jab with success. Forrest pushed
Quartey, who went to the canvas. It was correctly
ruled a slip. I thought Forrest did just enough to win
the first round, which was close.
Forrest boxed well from the outside, popping Quartey
with jabs and not so powerful combinations. Vernon
lacked enough pop to ever rattle Ike, as evidenced by
how easily Quartey took Forrest’s best landed punch of
the night, a nasty right upper cut in the third round.
Quartey used his jab and pressured Forrest to easily
win the second and third rounds. Vernon turned the
tide in the fourth, out boxing Quartey and landing
some of his cleanest punches.
By the fifth round, I had it even. In the fifth round
the tide turned, favoring Quartey, who pressed Forrest
with his jab into back-up mode, rendering him less
effective. The sixth was all Quartey, who proved much
stronger and able to nullify Vernon’s range and height
advantage by sticking close and working his jab.
The seventh belonged to Forrest, who worked real hard
for the payoff of having been slightly more effective
in that round. Quartey fought smartly and kept
Forrest out of his ideal punching range. By the
eighth, Ike’s jab caused Vernon’s face to swell like a
ripe tomato, almost closing his right eye. Late in the
round, Forrest landed a low blow and was warned by the
referee. Quartey proceeded to take it to Forrest with
punches that had more sting and were landing at a high
rate.
In the ninth, Forrest was boxing well, when suddenly
he threw a nasty low blow that caused referee Arthur
Mercante Jr. to pause the action and take a point.
Forrest had been warned a few times by then about low
punches. Action resumed quickly and Quartey made
Forrest pay with a slew of jabs and some bonus right
hands. Losing a point at this juncture had to be
crucial for Forrest.
The tenth started aggressively with Forrest coming in,
then wrapping up, only to be pushed down to the canvas
by Quartey, putting a tenth round ‘ying’ to the first
round’s ‘yang.’ It was rightly ruled a slip. Vernon
threw lots of shots, rarely landing cleanly. Quartey
was one-dimensional but landed some good shots, though
not enough to prove more impressive in the final
round.
* *
As they waited to hear the official scores, Forrest
did not look confident. When it was announced that the
Judges had a Unanimous Decision, I was sure Ike
Quartey who had won. Then the scores were read, 96-93
and 95-94 twice…all in favor of Vernon Forrest. Judge
Tony Paolillo was the one with the 96-93 scorecard. If
you consider the lost point in the ninth, Paolillo
only gave three rounds to Quartey, who according to
the tabulations, landed more punches overall and at a
considerably higher clip than Forrest.
That Decision pissed off the fans at The Garden, who
could smell the corruption and chanted, “Bullshit!
Bullshit! Bullshit!” Whoever said foreign fighters get
a fair shake in the USA?
During the post fight interview with HBO’s Larry
Merchant, Forrest said he wanted to thank God.
Merchant quipped, “And don’t forget to thank the
Judges.” Maybe Forrest should send a nice box of
chocolates to Tony Paolillo.
Well folks, that’s boxing. No accountability.
Where does Vernon go from here? A third fight against
rebounding Shane Mosley seems out of the question,
since the risk is too high for Mosley to chance
another loss to Forrest, especially now. Shane also
seems content to remain at 147 or wherever Forrest
isn’t.
As for Ike Quartey, if he never fights again in the
USA, I wouldn’t be surprised. The Ghanaian fighter was
robbed Saturday night in a fight that even the
American fans at the Garden thought he won. Quartey
can still make money if he elects to continue
fighting. He may not win any titles but he usually
gives fans their money’s worth and that alone
maintains his commercial appeal. The European circuit
may be a better bet for him in the future. At least
there, he might get a fair shake with the Judges.
* * *
Comments can be emailed to Frank Gonzalez Jr.
8-5-2006
