By Glenn Wilson

Class is that intangible that a person either has or he doesn't, it isn't bought with jewelry, houses or cars. Class is what every parent wants their child to grow up to have. Class is a combination of respect, pride, integrity, acceptance of one's place as a role model and morals beyond reproach. Vernon Forrest is a perfect example of class.

A well spoken, college educated man, Forrest knows that there is more to life than boxing. He helped establish and actively participates in Destiny's Child, Inc., a Geogia charity that helps mentally challenged adults to become self sufficient.

Forrest is quick with a smile and unlike alot of today's athletes, not a finger pointer or a whiner, although he felt as if he had won the rematch with Mayorga and felt that their first fight was stopped prematurely, he refused to blame promoters or officials, instead taking the high road and saying he should have done a little more to win each fight.

The two years away from boxing have not diminished Vernon's desire to be the best boxer in the world. His lanky six foot frame has now grown into a Junior Middleweight and now the class act hopes that he can become the class of the field in the Junior Middleweight division.

He feels he is back, well almost, just three years ago he was The Ring's 2002 Fighter Of The Year. In 2002, having already won the IBF Welterweight title, he took on the man at the top of most pound for pound list, Shane Mosley. Forrest used his reach to control the fight, even flooring Shane early. Forrest took a unanimous decision to add the WBC belt to his collection. A rematch six months later had the same outcome, thus proving the old adage that certain fighters seem to have another fighter's number.

Unfortunately for Forrest the tables would be turned when he tried for the trifecta by taking the WBA strap from Ricardo Mayorga. Mayorga known for his free swinging, full of machismo style, made it a street fight at the opening bell and had Forrest in over his head. Instead of a precise, tactical boxing match that had been his bread and butter, Forrest was luried into a fight he could not win. Forrest was stopped in three and many wondered if the Mosley success had changed Forrest, he entered the ring for the Mayorga fight with his own personal rapper and what appeared to be a full blown entourage. The rematch saw a more focused Forrest sans entourage, but this time Vernon lost a close decision.

And then Forrest seemingly fell off the face of the earth. Big fights and mega paydays were still within his reach and his name was still being mentioned as a possible opponent in both Welterweight and Junior Middleweight divisions but he was nowhere to be found.

Two left shoulder surgeries had sidelined Forrest and basically landed him in a no mans land. With each passing month Forrest's name slipped off the top ten list and soon out of boxing's mainstream.

Last July saw the return of "The Viper". Forrest stopped Sergio Rios in two rounds and in October TKO'D Elco Garcia in ten.

Still there was not alot of noise being heard through the boxing circles. Sure Forrest was back but he was coming back from back to back losses and back to back surgeries. The two wins were a good test mentally and physically, to see if he was mentally ready to return and  to be sure the shoulder would hold up, but how good can he and will he be.

Fighting at 154 could help Vernon Forrest become a star once more, if he gets by Raul Munoz next weekend there is talk of a fight with Ring Magazines' number five Junior Middleweight Ike Quartey. The Vargas-Mosley winner, Roman Karmazin or Kassim Ouma could all figure into Vernon's plans before the end of the year.

It is easy to see Vernon grabbing a share of the Junior Middleweight title this year. While critics say his style is boring, for Vernon Forrest it is more of a choice of effectiveness over flash. The man we see in the ring is the same man we see outside it, a bonified class act.