From Isaiah Chappelle in New York
(In association with Western Union Money Transfer and Swiss House Cambio)
Guyana Chronicle
May 14, 2001

GUYANA'S second world title did not materialise when Raul Frank lost by a unanimous decision to Vernon Forrest who won the vacant International Boxing Federation welterweight title at Madison Square Garden, Saturday night.

But the Caribbean still triumphed as Puerto Rican Felix Trinidad delivered his Mother's Day gift with a dazzling fifth-round technical knockout over American William Joppy for the World Boxing Association middleweight crown.

For the IBF welterweight championship, Judge George Colon scored the fight 120-108, judge Steve Weisfeld 118-110 and judge Frank Adams 118-110, all in favour of the new IBF welterweight champion, Vernon Forrest.

Chronicle Sport scored it 117-113 for Forrest.

The punch statistics showed that Forrest was busier with his hand, throwing 693 punches of which 261 connected for a 38 per cent connection while Frank threw 559 punches, landing 196 for a 35 per cent connection rate.

Frank, however, was more accurate with his jabs, landing 95 from 310 thrown for a 31 per cent connection, while Forrest threw 309 of which 82 were on target for a 27 per cent connection.

But Forrest won the fight with power punches, aiming 384 with 179 finding the mark for a 47 per cent connection while Frank threw 249 of which 101 landed for a connection rate of 47 per cent.

Judge Colon awarded all 12 rounds to the new champion, while judge Weisfeld gave Frank rounds five and six and judge Adams scored the Guyanese winning rounds five and eight.

Chronicle Sport, though far from the ring, made use of the huge screen over the stage, saw Frank losing the fight from round seven as Forrest scored consistently with left and right hooks to head while Frank landed just a few left jabs.

Frank even went down twice, although the referee ruled them slips. The first was in round nine when Forrest landed a low left hook to Frank's hip. The announcer started counting but Frank waved it was not a knockdown and referee Ken Zimmer signalled for the fight to continue.

Again in the twelfth and final round, Frank ended on the canvas, losing his balance as he peddled backwards to avoid Forrest's attack. The referee waved that it was not a knockdown.

Frank started with some nice left jabs, both boxers fighting orthodox. A flurry of exchanges from both sides followed. Forrest tried leading jabs but his right hooks were off target. Frank landed an overhand left, but Forrest connected a straight left to jaw for Forrest. Chronicle Sport scored the round a draw and another draw for round three.

Forrest began round two with left jabs, then offered left and right hooks which were to be his main weapon, later. Frank tried close-quarter fighting but could not get past Forrest's guard. Forrest's round.

Rounds four, five and six belonged to Frank as he aimed to the mid-section, clearly scoring in that area. He also stitched in some left hooks, among his many jabs.

From round seven, Forrest became more aggressive putting on some right and left combinations among his series of left hooks which connected to head. Forrest won the remaining rounds.