Forrest defends WBC super welterweight title, stopping Piccirillo
December 1, 2007
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) -- Vernon Forrest successfully defended his WBC super welterweight title Saturday night, stopping Italy's Michele Piccirillo at 2:21 of the 11th round after landing two crushing right hands.
It was the first title defense for Forrest (40-2). The Atlanta fighter won the WBC crown with a unanimous decision over Carlos Baldomir in July.
Forrest landed a looping right hand midway through the fourth round -- the best punch of the fight up until that point -- that stunned Piccirillo (48-4), but the challenger quickly regrouped and kept the champion at bay for the rest of the round.
Forrest landed a similar punch near the end of the fifth round, but with less authority.
In the sixth round, Forrest delivered a blow that was close to being in the back of the head that dropped Piccirillo to one knee, but referee Arthur Mercante Jr. ruled it was a clean punch that led to the knockdown.
Piccirillo was wobbled by a right hand in the seventh, but stayed on his feet. In the ninth, Forest dropped Piccirillo with a stinging right hand for the second knockdown of the bout. Forrest continued to dominate the bout until putting Piccirillo away in the 11th. Piccirillo twisted an ankle during the decisive knockdown.
Also, Nonito Donaire (19-1) of San Leandro, Calif., successfully defended his IBF and IBO flyweight titles, stopping Mexico's Luis Maldonado (37-2-1) at 1:16 of the eight round. Maldonado's face was bloodied for nearly the entire fight because of cuts that appeared to be above both eyes.
