By: Christopher Roche

July 2009 is proving to be one of the worst months in terms of athletes violently passing away. Former welterweight and junior-middleweight title holder Vernon Forrest is now reportedly part of that ominous list, which includes Steve McNair, Alexis Arguello and Arturo Gatti.

ESPN.com is reporting this morning that Forrest was putting air in the tires of his Jaguar at an Atlanta gas station, when two armed men confronted him, in an attempted carjacking. Forrest, who was also armed, chased the men, only to be shot dead. Forrest, whose girlfriend’s young son was also in the car, was only 38 years old.

Vernon