Shane Mosley has picked Vernon Forrest as the hardest puncher he faced in his 61-fight career. The former three-weight world champion chose Forrest over other big names like Canelo Alvarez and Manny Pacquiao.
'Sugar Shane' Mosley had a long and successful career from 1993 to 2016. He won world titles in three weight classes and beat some of the best fighters of his era, including Oscar De La Hoya, Jesse James Leija, and Fernando Vargas.
Mosley's career wasn't without its setbacks. He lost to Ronald 'Winky' Wright, Floyd Mayweather, and Miguel Cotto. His career eventually came to an end after he was beaten by David Avanesyan 9 years ago.
Despite facing many hard hitters, Mosley singled out Vernon 'The Viper' Forrest as the hardest puncher. He told Ring Magazine:
"I'm not sure why; maybe it was just natural. He just hit the hardest."
Forrest and Mosley fought twice in 2002. In their first bout in January, Forrest won the WBC world welterweight title from Mosley. He followed that up with another victory in July of the same year.
After his wins over Mosley, Forrest's career took a hit. He lost twice to Ricardo Mayorga in 2003, getting stopped in the third round of their first fight. But Forrest bounced back. In 2007, he became WBC world super-welterweight champion by beating Carlos Baldomir.
Forrest retired in 2008 with an impressive record of 41 wins (29 by knockout) and just 3 losses. His power left a lasting impression on Mosley, who remembered it even after facing many other great fighters in his long career.
