MORA VS. FORREST II HEATS UP EARLY AS FIGHTERS HEAD TO TRAINING CAMP AFTER
PRESS CONFERENCE VERBAL ATTACKS GET RIVALS FIRED UP FOR BATTLE ON
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 AT MGM GRAND IN LAS VEGAS LIVE ON HBO
PAY-PER-VIEW
LOS ANGELES, August 6 –
While some naysayers doubt the second fight between Sergio Mora and Vernon Forrest which is slated
for September 13 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas has the makings of the rematch of the
year, anyone who has heard the verbal barbs already being exchanged by the combatants has a good
idea that the fight will likely prove the doubters wrong .
Emotions
reached an early peak last week in downtown Los Angeles when the two
fighters met at the
press conference to officially announce the bout.
After some pointed comments towards each other
and an intense
stare-down, there is no question that this matter will need to be
settled in the MGM Grand Garden Arena ring this September.
Forrest started the banter with some choice words for the champion.
“Mora won the first battle, but I’m going to win the war,” said Forrest. “I give him credit for beating me when
I was at 45 percent of my ability. On September 13th, we’ll see what he
can do with 100 percent of Vernon Forrest. For anyone who can’t wait
that long, I’ll cut out the suspense – Mora doesn’t go 12 rounds with
me in the rematch.”
Mora, who maintained his composure, responded to Forrest’s taunts.
“I’m disappointed that Forrest has made this a personal battle, but that will make things even worse for
him on fight night,” said Mora. “I was just going to beat him, but now I’m going to have to punish him to
show
him that my first win wasn’t a fluke. I’m the Super Welterweight
Champion of the World and undefeated…that’s not going to change on
September 13th.”
In their first fight on June 7, 2008, Mora, the young star and winner of the first season of the hit series
‘The Contender’, achieved a lifelong dream by winning his first world title via a hard-fought majority
decision over Forrest. The result was a stunning upset and one which led both fighters to this rematch,
a high stakes battle pitting a young champion on the rise against a former two-division champion looking
for revenge. A win for Mora proves that he is no one-hit wonder, while a loss for Forrest could be
devastating
to his storied career. It’s the type of high-risk fight fans long for,
and these two world-class athletes are ready to leave it all in the
ring in order to give it to them.
“Their first fight was high drama and I expect even more drama and fireworks the second time around,”
said Jeff Wald, of Tournament of Contenders, Mora’s promoter. “Sergio is a different fighter since he won
the title and even though I know Vernon will be coming out with all guns blazing, I don’t see Sergio losing
for a long, long time.”
Gary Shaw, Forrest’s promoter responded, “Vernon Forrest is one of the finest boxers of this era, and he
will show why on September 13th. Sergio Mora is a fine young fighter, but Vernon is on another level than
he is and we will see him at his spectacular best in this rematch.”
For now, the talk is over. What’s left until Saturday, September 13 will be an arduous training camp that will
push WBC Super Welterweight Champion Sergio Mora and former World Champion Vernon Forrest to the
limit as they prepare for a rematch that will not only determine the best 154-pound fighter in the world, but
will also settle the score of a rivalry that has become white hot since their first bout in June.
Mora-Forrest
II is the 12-round co-featured bout to the highly anticipated Joel
Casamayor vs. Juan Manuel Marquez showdown. The fight is presented by
Golden Boy Promotions in association with Tournament of Contenders,
Gary Shaw Productions and Fight Knight, LLC. Casamayor vs. Marquez –
“The Challenge”, a 12-round bout for Casamayor’s Ring Magazine World
Lightweight Championship, is presented by Golden
Boy Promotions in association with Romanza Boxing and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, Cazadores Tequila
and Southwest Airlines. The world title bout will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
and will be distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Tickets priced at $300, $200, $125 and $75 are on sale and may be purchased at any MGM Grand box office
outlet and all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Macy’s West
at
the Fashion Show Mall). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per
person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster
at (702) 474-4000. Tickets also are available for purchase at
www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
The
Casamayor vs. Marquez pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6
p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $44.95, will be distributed by
HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to 71 million pay-per-view
homes. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to
the pay-per-view industry. For Casamayor vs. Marquez fight week
updates, log on to www.hbo.com.
An exciting undercard will be announced in the near future. For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com.
By Golden Boy Promotions