BRAWLING WAS FORREST'S MISTAKE.

Byline: MICHAEL ROSENTHAL Boxing

TEMECULA - It's always difficult to imagine a great fighter losing until it happens.

Even when Ricardo Mayorga was in the process of chopping down Vernon Forrest over a wild 2 1/2 rounds Saturday, it seemed certain that Forrest's superior skills would surface and he'd somehow win the welterweight title-unification bout.

When he didn't, when Mayorga ended it with one perfect punch to the temple, those in attendance couldn't believe their eyes.

``Yeah, I'm a little stunned,'' Forrest said immediately after the fight.

A little?

Forrest was everyone's fighter of the year after beating Shane Mosley twice last year, a major star by boxing's standards, one of the best in the world pound for pound.

The former Olympian was applauded for agreeing to meet a fighter of Mayorga's apparent ability, but no one actually thought he'd lose. The oddsmakers made Forrest a 6-1 favorite.

Mayorga was a relative nobody, known as much for his quirky personality as his boxing ability. The Nicaraguan was 15-0-1 since beginning his career 8-3 but had fought mostly in Central America and hadn't beaten anyone of consequence until he knocked out an overrated Andrew ``Six Heads'' Lewis in March.

To be certain, he was fiercely aggressive, a mauler, with confidence to match but no serious threat to a great fighter like Forrest. No other conclusion would have made sense at the time.

But now, when we reflect upon what happened, no one should be surprised.

Forrest, perhaps feeling invincible after his marvelous year in 2002, made an incredibly stupid mistake by brawling with a brawler and paid a huge price.

The former champion said afterward that he knew going into the fight he'd have to exchange some serious punches at some point. However, he settled into a macho, let's-see-who- the-tougher-guy-is mode for no apparent reason against the wrong guy.

Forrest played into Mayorga's hands. Thus, the result was fairly predictable.

One interested observer said Forrest probably is the better fighter but isn't surprised Mayorga won in such stunning fashion in light of Forrest's tactics.

``Vernon was confident,'' Mosley said over the phone. ``He thought he was the better fighter, that he could punch with this guy, and then he tripped over (Mayorga's) right hand.

``He didn't move, he didn't clinch. He fought with the guy to show he was a superior fighter. If they fight again, Vernon probably would box more, get back to his style, clinch, box, and he'll probably outbox him. This guy's a big puncher, though. You never know.''

Forrest should get another shot at Mayorga because a rematch clause reportedly was in the contract.

He was asked whether he'd fight differently the second time around.

``I'd box him, but I'm still going to have to fight with him at times,'' Forrest said.

That could be his second mistake. Now we know.

--Early stoppage? Forrest said repeatedly after the fight that referee Marty Denkin stopped it too early.

However, the decision was justified. Denkin explained his reasoning:

``He was hit by a devastating right hand in the temple and fell into the ropes. ... I was counting to eight and told him to put his hands up. He didn't respond. I ran my finger in front of his eyes and told him to watch my finger. No response.

``At that point, knowing (Mayorga) would come at him fiercely, I decided it was over. I just held him for about five seconds. He said, `What's going on? Why are you doing this?' There was no fighting, no resisting, no one was angry.

``He might want to blame me for a fast stoppage, but I saw a human being who was hurt and not responding. And when he asked me, `Why did you count only to two?' I knew I'd made the right decision. I counted to eight.''

Apparently, one of two things happened.

One, Forrest was too dazed to continue. Even Forrest said after the fight that a blow to the temple can throw off a fighter's equilibrium.

Or, two, he was capable of continuing but focused on Mayorga instead of Denkin as the referee counted. Forrest said as much, implying that he was thinking about his opponent and what it would take to bounce back from the setback.

If so, that was another mistake. If Forrest was able to continue, Denkin, using standard techniques of determining the fighter's condition, couldn't have known it because Forrest was unresponsive.

Thus, either way, the stoppage was appropriate.

--Rabbit punches: Fernando Vargas' handlers want the former junior middleweight champion's June 14 comeback fight to be at the Olympic Auditorium. ...

Francisco Bojado of Los Angeles makes his return to television in a 10-round junior welterweight bout against Frankie Santos this Saturday in Las Vegas on Showtime.

Bojado, once one of the hottest prospects in boxing, is rebuilding his career after he lost to relative unknown Juan Carlos Rubio in February of last year.

COMING UP

TODAY

--Stephen Martinez vs. Hector Quiroz, Kenner, La., Fox Sports World en Espanol.

FRIDAY

--Charles Brewer vs. Etienne Whitaker, super middleweights, Atlantic City, N.J., ESPN2.

SATURDAY

--Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Manuel Medina, for the vacant IBF featherweight title, Las Vegas, pay-per-view. Also, Miguel Cotto vs. Cesar Bazan, junior welterweights; Carlos Hernandez vs. David Santos, for the vacant IBF junior lightweight title.

--Rocky Juarez vs. Jason Pires, featherweights, Uncasville, Conn., Showtime. Also, Francisco Bojado vs. Frankie Santos, junior welterweights.

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

The tactics of Vernon Forrest, left, played into the hands of Ricardo Mayorga on Saturday.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News

Box:

COMING UP (see text)