NEW YORK -- After 8½ years as a pro, unbeaten Vernon Forrest finally became a world champion.

The 30-year-old Forrest used his left jab and overhand right to pound out a one-sided decision over Raul Frank and win the vacant IBF welterweight title Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.

"I hurt my right hand in the third round and couldn't get any power, but I stayed with it," Forrest said. And he rattled Frank with that right hand several times.

The fight was part of the undercard for Felix Trinidad's challenge to WBA middleweight champion William Joppy.

Forrest also said he was troubled during the fight with a cramp in his left leg. But the 32-year-old Frank was never able to get inside on the taller Forrest and was ineffective most of the fight.

Two judges scored it 115-110 in favor of Forrest, and the third had it 120-108 for Forrest.

It was the second time the men had fought for the title. Their fight last Aug. 8 was declared a no-contest when Frank couldn't continue because of a gash in his forehead, sustained when the fighters butted heads in the third round.

Forrest said he gave his performance only a C-plus, but it was good enough to make him a champion with a 32-0 record and 25 knockouts. He went into the fight ranked No. 2 behind Frank, who fell to 23-4-1 with 12 knockouts.

Forrest, of Augusta, Ga., weighed in at 145 pounds. Frank, a native of Guyana who lives in Brooklyn, weighed 147.