Pernell Whitaker. but no information regarding it. Pernell Whitaker was an American professional boxer who had his fights from 1984 to 2001. The fight secured Whitaker the WBC, IBF and WBA lightweight titles. WBC: Bivol not eligible for belt due to sanctions, Diaz surrenders to New Orleans police after brawl, Paul launches series for up-and-coming boxers, Ramirez to defend WBO title vs. Shimizu in July, IBA upset by 'rogue' boxing group as U.S. quits, Sources: Anderson-Kossobutskiy to meet July 1. Condolences to his family. All rights reserved. "An artist in the ring, 'Sweet Pea' appeared on our World Championship Boxing platform for a decade [1990-1999], giving fans many unforgettable moments. It was the first of Whitakers 15 consecutive victories through 1988, a pace that was slowed temporarily by an injury that kept him from fighting on a card at the Pavilion Convention Center in Virginia Beach in December 1985. Boxing legend Pernell Whitaker was killed Sunday night after he was hit by a car in Virginia Beach, TMZ Sports has learned. Whitaker was a legendary boxer who multiple titles in. ", Yes! Somebody that Ive always loved to watch and wanted to meet so bad and now it will never happen. His main source of income was from boxing as well as from his endorsements and advertisements. Retained WBA, WBC, and IBF lightweight titles, longest unified lightweight championship reign, "Pernell Whitaker Dead At 55, Boxing Legend Hit By Car", "Floyd Mayweather Jr. and 25 Best Defensive Boxers in History", "Ranking the 15 Worst Judging Decisions in Boxing History", "5 More Of the Worst Decisions in Boxing", "The List: The 10 Worst Decisions in Boxing History", PERNELL WHITAKER V JULIO CEASR CHAVEZ: BOXING'S CONTROVERISAL SCORECARDS, "Julio Cesar Vasquez vs. Pernell Whitaker", Pernell Whitaker vs Julio Cesar Vasquez - HBO World Championship Boxing, "Whitaker, Knocked Down, Comes Back to Knock Out Challenger", "Pernell Whitaker vs Diosbelys Hurtado-part 5/6", OSCAR TIME IT WASN'T AN AWARD-WINNING PERFORMANCE, BUT OSCAR DE LA HOYA TOOK PERNELL WHITAKER'S WELTERWEIGHT TITLE, "De La Hoya beats Whitaker He takes WBC crown by unanimous decision", "EX-CHAMP WHITAKER COULD FACE 6-MONTH SUSPENSION FOR DRUGS", "Zab Judah continues his personal road to redemption", "Ex-Millionaire Boxer 'Sweet Pea' Whitaker Says Evicting Mom Is 'Beautiful Moment', "Former champion Whitaker hit by car, dies", R.I.P. Condolences to his family. Whitaker would fight nine times in the Scope arena during his career. To everyone please respect my familys privacy in this trying moment as I wanna inform people that today we lost a legend truly one of boxings greatest Pound 4 Pound champions my father Pernell Sweetpea Whitaker, the post said. Seconds Out. #RipSweetPea https://t.co/TSzFcf5d5Y, Very sad to hear the news about Pernell Whitaker today. #GoneButNeverForgotten, Rest in eternal peace Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker - IMO the greatest defensive fighter of all time pic.twitter.com/55KnItMmSq, Oh no, no, no Sweet Pea was one of the greatest fighters to ever lace up gloves. They were all elected in their first year of eligibility. But midway in the 11th round, Whitaker landed a left hook that hurt Hurtado and, in a rare display of aggression and power, unleashed a barrage of left-handed power shots, pummeling Hurtado into the ropes, knocking Hurtado out and almost completely out of the ring before referee Arthur Mercante Jr. stopped the fight at the 1:52 mark, giving Whitaker the come-from-behind TKO win. "He had a lot of problems outside the ring, and those problems probably cut his career short," Duva said. At the end of the fight, the judges' scores were 111-115, 110-116, 110-116. Hurtado gave Whitaker all he could handle and then some. RIP Sweet Pea. He posted a 40-1-1 record across his first 42 fights before failing to win any of his final four bouts, a stretch that featured three losses and a no-contest. Chavez, the reigning junior welterweight titlist at the time, moved up in weight to challenge Whitaker for his welterweight world title before some 65,000 at the Alamodome in San Antonio in a showdown for pound-for-pound supremacy. RIP Sweet Pea. Wow I cant believe this!!! He was born as the son to parents Raymond Whitaker Sr. and his wife, Novella Whitaker. Early on, Vasquez was the aggressor, and scored a flash knockdown on Whitaker in the 4th round; but Whitaker settled in & used his accuracy and defense to take over and outpoint Vasquez en route to a unanimous decision win. Loved him. We share so many great memories. Cops are investigating. What's next for Russia? Whitakers career was recognized by other great boxers and athletes on social media, including Oscar De La Hoya and Magic Johnson. super lightweight title in 1992 and Buddy McGirt for the World Boxing Council welterweight belt in early 1993. Upon hearing thetragic news that Pernell Whitaker diedafter being struck by a vehicle while crossing the streetin Virginia Beachon Sunday, members of the boxing community paid tribute to thelegend known as "Sweet Pea.". He was not a particularly hard puncher or knockout artist, but applied a consistent offense while being extremely elusive and difficult for his opponents to hit with a solid punch. He lost to two-time Olympic Gold medalist ngel Herrera Vera at the final of the World Championships 1982 but beat him four other times, notably in the final of the Pan American Games 1983 in Caracas. He currently holds the longest unified lightweight championship reign in boxing history at six title defenses. He won his next fight by unanimous decision over Andrei Pestriaev, but the ruling was changed to no decision after Whitaker tested positive for cocaine. The ring remained his best place until the loss to De La Hoya. #PernellWhitaker pic.twitter.com/IZv3IQOo2f, It was an honor to share the ring with him. Boxing community reacts to tragic death of Pernell Whitaker, Pernell Whitaker diedafter being struck by a vehicle. Pernell Whitaker, widely considered to be one of the greatest defensive boxers of all time, has died after being hit by a car. After retirement, he also survived a cocaine overdose in 2001. [10], Whitaker was gaining momentum and boxing experts and fans felt that he needed to win against the pound for pound best boxer in the world: Julio Csar Chvez. [25] Later in the fight, both boxers fell to the canvas in what were ruled as "accidental slips. This photo was taken 7/13/19. Rate Pernell Whitakers Career from 1-10 #fight #ko #tko #streetfight #knockout #mma #ufc #fitness #excercise #brutal #sport #punch #punches #belator #pernellwhitaker #workout #heavyweight #strength #boxing #power #miketyson #royjonesjr #train #motivation #combat #conormcgregor #anthonyjoshua , A post shared by Pernell Whitaker Fan Page (@pernellwhitakerr) on Feb 11, 2018 at 3:08pm PST. Pernell also had a daughter, Tiara, from a prior relationship. Loved him. But since we cant seem to keep Pete out of the boxing ring, I guess this is the best place.. They brought him to events and scheduled him for personal appearances and autograph signings. Hell be a son forever until death do us part, but he is putting a rip through the family, said Whitakers eldest sister, Zelda Brown. Glad I got to sit next to him at the Ward v Kovalev fight in Las Vegas. Sixteen months later, Whitaker returned, but he was a shell of himself against Trinidad. Whitaker, who was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006, won world titles in four weight classes. "He could stand in front of you and you couldn't find him," HBO boxing announcerJim Lampleytold Richard Sandomir of theNew York Timeson Monday. Whitaker lost his first chance at a championship in 1988, but he rebounded the next year to win the International Boxing Federation world lightweight title from Greg Haugen. A southpaw, Whitaker was known for his outstanding defensive skills and for being a strong counterpuncher. He then added the vacant WBC & The Ring belts by avenging his loss to Ramirez on August 20. He was 55. Whitaker called the ruling, a beautiful moment, per ABC News. He passed away on Sunday, July 14, 2019. Im going to surviveIm a survivor..Im going with my daughtershe is taking me in, she said. Questions ahead of Paul vs. Diaz: Can Diaz box? Moreover, in 2002, he was convicted of possessing cocaine after the judge found him violating the terms of his previous sentence in the month of March. #RipSweetPea https://t.co/TSzFcf5d5Y, Very sad to hear the news about Pernell Whitaker today.RIP Champ. Virginia Beach - Pernell Whitaker Jr was born on October 5, 1984 and passed on Tuesday September 1, 2015. ", I'm deeply saddened by the loss of this great champion, who gave a tremendous amount of joy to those who watched him. In 1992, he began his ascent in weight, winning the IBF light welterweight title from Colombian puncher Rafael Pineda on July 18. His youngest son, Devon, described his father as a cool guy on Monday. Im truly lost for words to hear Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker is no longer with us. We have just received the sad news informing us that Pernell Whitaker has passed. He was 55. Boxing legend Pernell 'Sweet Pea' Whitaker dead at 55. Hes not happy that it was necessary to go to court, his lawyer Bruce Gould told ABC News. He earned money at autograph shows as well. Although Anthony said she always wanted to have a church wedding she told the Associated Press that the boxing ring was the best place. In 2006, Whitaker was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, in his first year of eligibility. By subscribing, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. This is insanely sad. Whitaker successfully defended his WBC belt against Scotland's Gary Jacobs on August 26, 1995. Pernell Whitaker was born on Jan. 2, 1964, in Norfolk, Va., one of seven children of Raymond and Novella Whitaker. Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker, One of the All-Time Greats, Olympic boxing champions men's lightweight, Pan American Champions in Boxing Men's Lightweight, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pernell_Whitaker&oldid=1149470046, International Boxing Federation champions, Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States, Olympic gold medalists for the United States in boxing, International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees, Winners of the United States Championship for amateur boxers, AIBA World Boxing Championships medalists, World light-welterweight boxing champions, World light-middleweight boxing champions, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages with login required references or sources, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 12 April 2023, at 13:03. (1:45). Whitaker, who has died aged 55 after being hit by a car while crossing a road in his hometown of Virginia Beach, Virginia, was an Olympic gold medallist for the US at the Los Angeles games of. He was a flawless fighter. Duva said. pic.twitter.com/gqf41jo6IO, This man was one of the greatest boxers ever to lace up gloves, loved watching him growing, defensive savant and as brave as they come. Pernell Whitakerwas born on January 2, 1964, and he is an American professional boxer and four-weight world champion. "[25] In the seventh round, Whitaker displayed more offense, trading power punches with Trinidad, but the champion retained control of the fight's tempo during the eight, ninth and tenth rounds. Pernell Whitaker - Can't Be Touched https://t.co/VlhdiThsAt via @YouTube, The thing about Sweet Pea was that he was the antithesis of Mike Tyson in the boxing ring. Im going to get married in there, Whitaker said. He was only 55. The 5'6" Virginia native had remarkable quickness and nearly unmatched ring awareness. Pernell Whitaker is legally having his mother evicted from a home she's been living in since 1984. . Whitaker was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006, and was a champion in four weight classes: lightweight, junior welterweight, welterweight and junior middleweight. Outside of the Virginia courtroom where the eviction proceedings took place, he called the ruling in his favor "a beautiful moment. Known as "Sweet Pea," Whitaker, a southpaw from Norfolk, Virginia, was revered as perhaps the best defensive fighter in history, and his slick moves confounded opponent after opponent. But he was a cool guy., Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. To me, he was one of the top five greatest boxers ever! In recent years, with the millions he had earned largely gone, Whitaker trained fighters, including Zab Judah, who won the I.B.F. In terms of his defense and ring generalship, Pernell Whitaker was the best fighter that I ever fought. They offered contrasting styles: Whitaker was mobile and slippery, Chavez an aggressive attacker. We ended up paying for the wedding and had the reception after the show at the fight hotel.". The cover of Sports Illustrated days later showed a photo of Whitaker landing a punch with the headline "Robbed!". Upon hearing thetragic news that Pernell Whitaker diedafter being struck by a vehicle while crossing the streetin Virginia Beachon Sunday, members of the boxing community paid tribute to thelegend known as "Sweet Pea. Im a scientist now, Im not a boxer. Pernell Whitaker was born in Norfolk, Virginia on January 2, 1964, the son of Raymond Whitaker Sr. and his wife, Novella. Whitaker, known as Sweet Pea or Pete, was an elusive fighter who deftly avoided being hit, or hurt, by his opponents. Whitaker and Anthony, who are now divorced, had four children Domonique, the late Pernell Jr., Dantavious, and Devon. #Boxing has lost one of its best and Ive lost a friend. His mother, Novella told ABC News she was heartbroken by the decision but mentioned she will be fine because she is a fighter. I am saddened to learn of my good friend and Olympic teammate Pernell Whitaker's untimely passing last night.We share so many great memories. Divisional rankings: Where do Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia land after their megafight? However, in his last fight with journeyman Carlos Bojorquezz, he broke his clavicle in fourth round which forced him to retire. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Download the TMZ App on the Apple App Store, Download the TMZ App on the Google Play Store. Examined. In 2014, a Norfolk General District Court judge ruled in Whitakers favor, forcing his mother and siblings out of the house by the end of March of the same year. Whitaker stopped his opponent, Farrain Comeaux, on a technical knockout late in the second round. In addition, he won a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics and 1983 Pan American Games. "[31], At about 10 p.m. on July 14, 2019, Whitaker was crossing the street in Virginia Beach, at the intersection of Northampton Boulevard and Baker Road, when he was struck and killed by the driver of a vehicle. In December 2005 Whitaker became a boxing trainer in his home state of Virginia. During his professional career, he had 40 wins, 17 knockouts, four losses and one draw, per CNN. Pernell Whitaker (right) during his victory over Anthony Jones in Las Vegas in 1991. This was a highly controversial decision (considered one of the worst ever by many analysts), as most boxing observers felt that Whitaker easily won.[6][7][8]. "He always brightened my day, and he was very loyal to our family," said Duva, who recounted the story of Whitaker's unusual wedding to ex-wife Rovanda Anthony on Dec. 21, 1985, in Virginia Beach. He then beat Rafael Pineda for the I.B.F. Whitaker, known by the nickname "Sweet Pea," managed to become one of the best boxers in history despite suffering from adrug addiction. However, their marriage didnt go well and divorced after years. As an amateur, Whitaker won a silver medal at the 1982 World Boxing Championships, a gold at the Pan-American Games in 1983 and a gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, all in the 132-pound lightweight division. Im still trying to process everything thats going on. His last fight came on April 27, 2001, against journeyman Carlos Bojorquez. Arrest warrant issued for Nate Diaz after brawl, Sources: Smith-Eubank rematch set for June 17, Remembering Whitaker: 'Sweet Pea' a master of the sweet science, 2013 BWAA Nat Fleischer Award winner for excellence in boxing journalism. Whitaker had been scheduled to fight on a nationally televised card with four other former Olympians Mark Breland, Tyrell Biggs, Meldrick Taylor and Evander Holyfield on that day in the mid-1980s, but the boxing legend had other plans. Pernell Whitaker, an Olympic gold medalist and four division champion who was regarded as one of the greatest defensive fighters ever, has died after being hit by a car in Virginia. Devon and Tiara, while Pernell Jr died in 2015 at the age of 31 following a battle with cancer. Pernell Whitaker, a longtime pound-for-pound king and one of the greatest boxers in history, was killed Sunday night when he was hit by a car in Virginia Beach, Virginia. I could hear Dan telling him, Ill get you an easy fight, for a breather, and Pete would say, I dont want no easy fights, she said. A split-decision loss for a lightweight world title to Jose Luis Ramirez in 1988 and the loss of his welterweight belt to Oscar De La Hoya in 1997 were highly controversial. The pro-boxer died at the age of 55 after hitting by a car in Virginia. Thats all I can say about him, he told the Virginian Pilot newspaper. He met Oscar De La Hoya on April 12, 1997, in Las Vegas, Nevada. A planned fight in 1998 against Ike Quartey, then the W.B.A. In his next fight on March 4, 1995, Whitaker added Julio Csar Vsquez's WBA super welterweight title to his collection. Whitaker is generally regarded as one of the greatest defensive boxers of all-time.[5]. Once a celebrated millionaire boxer and 1985 Olympic gold medalist, Whitaker is now struggling to pay his bills and needed to sell the house which he gave to his mother nearly 30 years ago, according to his lawyer. At 10 he fought in the Norfolk Arena; by 13 he was battling sailors from the nearby naval base. Four-weight champion struck by car on Sunday night, Considered by many to be greatest defensive boxer of all time. He retired in 2001 after three defeats in his final four fights with but he was in his prime in the 80s and 90s. Name: Pernell Whitaker Alias: Sweet Pea Hometown: Norfolk, Virginia, USA Birthplace: Norfolk, Virginia, USA Died: 2019-07-14 (Age:55) Stance: Southpaw Height: 168cm Reach: 175cm Pro Boxer: Record . "Sweet Pea" was one of the most brilliant boxers in the past decades and he was always a great friend of the WBC.We are deeply saddened with this new; May the legend rest in eternal peace. His wake will be on Monday September 7, 2015 at the Metropolitan Funeral Home in Berkley. pic.twitter.com/pZZEceN7h2. American boxing legend, Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker died at the age of 55 Sunday after being struck by a car in Virginia Beach. Apparently, back taxes were owed on the house and Pernell said that neither his mother nor his siblings, who also stayed in the house, were doing anything to help keep the house afloat financially. He could stand in front of you and you couldnt find him, Jim Lampley, the longtime HBO boxing announcer, said in a phone interview. "We thought, hey, here's an idea, but we can't actually do that, can we?" Former boxing champion Pernell Whitaker has died after he was hit by a car in . Whitaker also became the head trainer of former undisputed welterweight champion Zab Judah,[26] who defeated Kaizer Mabuza in March 2011 to win the vacant IBF light welterweight title. On Wednesday, a Norfolk General District Court judge ruled in Whitakers favor, ordering Novella Whitaker and two other children and their families also living in the home to leave the house by March 31. R I P champ, one of the best fighters to ever do it. [30] In February 2014, Pernell made national headlines after he evicted his mother, Novella Whitaker, out of the house he purchased for her shortly after he turned pro. While the decline of speed and agility pushed him into retirement, his knowledge of the ring and competitive boxing's components led him to seek out up-and-coming boxers to train to fight in the manner in which he did. Though he is not in this world anymore, he has a fan page account on different social media platforms. He crowned his amateur career with an Olympic gold medal in 1984, beating Luis Ortiz to obtain it. No matter what he was going through, Pete had a great heart. The house started to gather back taxes and since Whitaker could no longer afford it, he had to take action. The house was always listed under Whitakers name and as there was no written lease or deed of gift, the sons oral promise to his mother is not enforceable under Virginia law, Gould said. [32] He was 55. As an amateur, Whitaker went 201-14 and not only took home gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics but also won gold at the 1983 Pan American Games and a silver medal at the 1982 World Championships when he was 18. But nothing was more controversial than the draw he was saddled with against Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. on March 12, 1993. The accident occurred at approximately 10 p.m . A post shared by Floyd Mayweather (@floydmayweather) on Jul 15, 2019 at 6:44am PDT. Heres what you need to know about Whitakers family: Getty Pernell Whitaker throws a punch at Wilfredo Rivera in a 1996 match. " C4TV" - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvSZMLlUrPISUCxiDsnFVPwPernell Whitaker (born January 2 . Now a champion, Whitaker proceeded to dominate boxing's middle divisions over the first half of the 1990s. Markian Hawryluk and Kevin Van Valkenburg, Whitaker was arguably the greatest lightweight ever (1:45), Hall of Fame boxer Whitaker hit by car, dies, Garcia, trainer Goossen part ways, sources say. He was only 55. His fall from grace and solvency involved numerous incidences of drug abuse and a history of arrests and run-ins with police. Where Tyson was a savage wrecking ball, Whitaker was smooth and an untouchable thief in the night. The victory over McGirt set him up for a much-anticipated fight against Julio Cesar Chavez at the Alamodome in San Antonio. In 2002, The Ring ranked him in the list of 10th Greatest Fighter of the Last 80 Years. In January, 1997, Whitaker put his title on the line against Cuban fighter Diosbelys Hurtado. It's NOT a hit and run situation. Whitaker, the former lightweight, entered the ring at 155 pounds. In addition, he also fathered a daughter Tiara Whitaker from his past relationship. A grandson of Mrs. Whitaker, former NFL player Ronyell Whitaker, has also come forward to offer his assistance to his grandmother and make sure she is cared for. It has garnered over 800 reactions, nearly 300 shares and many comments of support. Teofimo Lopez wants to leave a Muhammad Ali-like legacy, Pain, hope, science collide as athletes turn to magic mushrooms, How a gym in California's Coachella Valley became an international destination for boxing. R I P champ, one of the best fighters to ever do it. Pernell Whitaker, heralded as one of the greatest boxers to ever lace up a pair of gloves, died Sunday night after he was hit by a pickup truck while walking across a wide thoroughfare in Virginia . pic.twitter.com/56T1ueHiLh, So Sad. Whitaker won both bouts before hometown crowds at the Norfolk Scope, less than a mile from where he lived as a child in a Norfolk housing project. [16][17] The win set up a showdown with undefeated 1992 Olympic gold medalist Oscar De La Hoya. Hes limited to what he can make training other boxers, Gould said. R.I.P. He had 214 amateur fights, winning 201, 91 of them by knockouts, though he said that he had up to 500 amateur fights. He was small in statue but yet so big in heart and skills inside the ring, there will never be another like him, he will truly be missed https://t.co/IqmXkqpqkG. He was the pound for pound best for half a decade, and one of the 3 greatest pure boxers who ever lived. In his memory, there is an Instagram account @pernellwhitakerr with more than 2k followers. Gould also mentioned that Whitakers money has been drying up since he retired from professional fighting. Let us scroll over to know more about his personal details. Boxing legend Pernell Whitaker was killed Sunday night after he was hit by a car in Virginia Beach, TMZ Sports has learned. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Where Tyson was a savage wrecking ball, Whitaker was smooth and an untouchable thief in the night.Im a scientist now, Im not a boxer.RIP Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker pic.twitter.com/JKj4yoFKiC, We have just received the sad news informing us that Pernell Whitaker has passed. To help promote the event, Main Events went to Whitaker, who was popular in the region, with the idea of having him and Anthony wed in the ring in front of the crowd after the show. His highlight of 1991 was a win over Jorge Pez and a fight against European Champion Poli Daz that ended in another win. I always wanted a church wedding, Anthony said, but since we cant seem to keep Pete out of the boxing ring, I guess this is the best place.. He was small in statue but yet so big in heart and skills inside the ring, there will never be another like him, he will truly be missed pic.twitter.com/IqmXkqpqkG, May you Rest In Peace.. Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker! List of boxing cards set for this week, May 2-6, DFB-Pokal: How to watch semifinal matches, Barcelona vs. Osasuna: Preview, how to watch, La Liga Matchday 33 preview, how to watch, Pernell Whitaker diedafter being struck by a vehicle. Feb. 27, 2014— -- Former welterweight boxing champ Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker's latest battle was a court fight to evict his mother from her house and he described his court victory as a "beautiful moment.". They had four children together: Dominique, the late Pernell Jr., Dantavious, and Devon. Other than this, there is no other information on his parents, siblings, or documented on his education. He retired after being stopped, his shoulder injured, in the fourth round of a fight against Carlos Bojorquez in 2001. His first fighter, Dorin Spivey fought matches in 2006. Whitaker originally won the fight, but the win was nullified & changed to a No Decision after he failed a post-fight drug test. Waking up to this news just has me GUTTED. There's no doubt.". Main Events promoter Kathy Duva, whose company promoted Whitaker throughout his career and who remained close to Whitaker after his retirement, mourned his death. When Kathy Duva heard Hall of Fame boxer Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker was killed Sunday night after being hit by a car in Virginia Beach, Va., her first thought was, "I hate July." Whitaker's. RIP Sweet Pea. Whitaker trudged on, winning a decision over Greg Haugen for the IBF Lightweight title on February 18, 1989, becoming the first boxer to knock Haugen down by sending him to the mat in the sixth round. "Sweet Pea" was one of the most brilliant boxers in the past decades and he was always a great . Source: Business Insider. Sports Illustrated 's post-fight edition had "ROBBED!" He was only 55.SUBSCRIBE -- http:. On my NY public access TV show Max on Boxing (1989-1998), I talked Pernell Whitaker more than any other fighter; it was basically the Pernell Whitaker show. He had inducted into the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. Also, Whitaker was known for his outstanding defensive skills who applied a consistent offense which makes it difficult for his opponents to hit with a solid punch. Whitaker died on July 14, 2019 after being stuck by a vehicle in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Boxing legend Pernell Whitaker has died at the age of 55 after being hit by a car in Virginia. In 2002, The Ring ranked Whitaker as the 10th Greatest Fighter of the Last 80 Years. Also, he made national headlines in 2014 when he evicted his mother out of the house he bought in 1984 for her after winning a gold medal. In 2010, Whitaker was inducted into the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame, honoring those who have contributed to sports in southeastern Virginia. But in a fight that many observers thought Whitaker had won easily, two judges called it a draw and a third voted for Whitaker, leaving the fight ruled a draw. Whitaker finished his career with a record of 40 wins, four losses and that one draw. He was a successful trainer after his retirement although he became involved in an ugly dispute with his mother over money in recent years. Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker was in the class of Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard as one of the most entertaining fighters in my lifetime. The couples marriage held in the boxing ring at the Virginia Beach Pavilion Convention Center on 2 January 1964. Whitaker was not boxing on the show, but his Olympic teammates and good buddies Holyfield, Mark Breland, Meldrick Taylor and Tyrell Biggs were. RIP Champ. He was 55. We are deeply saddened with this new; May the legend rest in eternal peace. What happens when a boxer kills his opponent? Pernell graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1982 and later received an honorary Bachelors degree from Norfolk State University.
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