“Boxing Great” Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker (January 2, 1964 – July 14, 2019. Salute, “The Best”

BY Scottie “The Context” White

Pernell Whitaker (January 2, 1964 – July 14, 2019)-A true American Boxer, a southpaw striker with a superb tenure 1984 to 2001 hosting boxing medals, World Championships (S), Pan American Games (G), 1984 Olympic Games (G). Hailing out of Norfolk Virginia, they knew how special Whitaker was, is and what he would become as he etched his greatness in the sport of boxing.

One of the best boxers to grace the square with a tallying ledger totaling 40 wins 17 by KO, with only 4 loses, 1 draw.
His weight dominions consisted of Lightweight, Light welterweight, Welterweight, Light middleweight. A four division charter as he contended versus some of the highest caliber opposition of that era.
Whitaker amateur boxing career flourished his early adolescence punch starting at the young age of nine, as he rallied 201 victories out of 214 contest. An astounding feat which was complimented by 91 knockouts to note. All of it foundation the constellation that awaited this shining star as he would earn the prestigious Gold badge as an Olympian in defeating Luis Ortiz. Whitaker gassed up his surge up the ranks in defeating former world champion Alfredo Layne and Roger Mayweather just short of his 13th pro fight.

Whitaker known for his elusive defense is where he thrived, a deep sense to his deceptiveness hit and not be hit boxing decalogue. He robbed his opponents of their offensive accuracy, while professing the beauty of his sweet science executing pinpoint effectiveness to his surgical boxing outfit.

It was pretty to watch his technical masterpiec through the pages in his boxing annals as he contended with big names such as; Jose Luis Ramirez for the WBC Lightweight title but marked his first defeat in a split decision controversial defeat. Emphasis to the cliche “boxing is corrupt” resonated deeply in this decision because Whitaker clearly won the bout in the eyes of many but without acknowledgement from the officials who failed to judge in fairness, not foul. Two bouts later 18 February 1989, Greg Haugen was next for Whitaker championship attendance at the Coliseum, Hampton Virginia for the International Boxing Federations World Lightweight Title. The bout would voltage energy to the alias “Sweet Pea” Whitaker as he was the first to send Haugen reclined on the canvas. Whitaker relished with his hands held high ending a 12 round unanimous decision 120-107, 118-109, 120-107. Big names to his defenses were Freddie Pendleton and Azumah Nelson.

Paging forward seeing Whitaker addition a rematch to his disgraceful robbery from the Ramirez bout, Whitaker would win the WBC title & Ring titles. Whitaker stepped up in knocking out Juan Nazario in one round for the WBA crowning addition with lineal lightweight titles to his championship badges, he was now haloed in the glory of becoming the first undisputed lightweight champion since his predecessor Roberto Duran.

Whitaker would ladder his divisional status up to light welterweight with a sensational win for the IBF title over Rafael Pineda, then converging to a showdown with current hall of famer/trainer James McGirt winning the WBC/Lineal welterweight titles.

Just as his Ramirez bout clouded in controversy sustained every bit of its culpability for charging Whitaker his first lost in his career, it would rolodex similar reminisce as he split the ropes to challenge the man, the myth, the legend of the pound-for-pound world best in Julio César Chávez. Amped as “The Fight” the boxing world merged in anticipation for this highly anticipated clash betwixt the bruiser and the boxer pertaining. Far away from his Virginia stumping grounds, Whitaker versus Chávez lit up the Alamodome in San Antonio Texas. The bout did live up to the suspense for Whitaker proving his slick boxing generalship displaying his technical gift to seemingly out performed Chávez enough to warrant a decision victory, but it wasn’t to be. Scoring from a pair of officials rendered a draw but the third scored it for Whitaker. Final decision resulted in a controversial “Majority Draw.” An epoch in boxing history for many boxing purist, critics and historians to table talk one of many distasteful, malicious, grading of injustice when qualified officials falter in their ominous influence for ulterior malevolence. As with many boxing greats would express in their somber experiences to their journey, we must fight on, and the bad comes with the good.

Whitaker would march forward, keeping his competitive halo lighting his pathway forward to revisit James McGirt in a successful rematch, once again he would edge out the game McGirt for a unanimous decision. Pressing the button on his divisional elevator, Whitaker steps off at the Super welterweight showcase in meeting Julio César Vásquez’s earning the WBA super welterweight championship crown, another one to his fleet assembly of boxing titles. With the prestige of this victory, he joins an elite boxing fraternity of names of Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran having won legitimate world titles in four weight classes. Wow, an amazing accomplishment which would only prepare his radar for even tougher challenges ahead.

Following this epic moment in his career, Whitaker chose to change levels in returning back down to the welterweight division. Whitaker would face a tough Cuban boxer in Diosbelys Hurtado. These two provided optimal rounds to their exchanges as Hurtado was able to drop Whitaker several times early rounds, placing Whitaker in a an all of nothing comeback rally as he was seriously in dire straits on the scorecards. As these rounds are named the championships rounds, the eleventh would ignite the warrior spirit for Whitaker who stinging left-hook to the body troubled Hurtado. The onslaught commenced from Whitaker to seize a vulnerable Hurtado with a swarm of blistering punching aggression, a side of Whitaker savagery rarely witnessed but a vengeful battery into the ropes forcing a thrilling knock down of Hurtado out onto the ring apron. Referee would sign a stoppage at 1:52 in the round-11, closing out an epic comeback for the ages in a TKO victory.

Next for Whitaker would have him crossing paths in defense of his title challenging Oscar De La Hoya in Las Vegas. Whitaker early advantage showed as he boxed incredibly, provoking awes from the thousands in attendance. Early rounds, Pernell Whitaker showed out as he danced around De La Hoya delivering well placed punches to an impressive compubox stats, edging out De La Hoya fairly easily with overall punches and connect percentile primarily from an active piercing jab. On the flip-side, De La Hoya registered strict power punching etiquette at a high rate, quality versus quantity according to the which side favors the pupils of the overseeing judges who are crucial in determining the final scoring index. Final cards rendered – 111-110-116, 110-116 all in favor of De La Hoya winning the closely contested affair. Post fight analytics balanced the assessing scales of opinions differently as to which fighter prevailed in this bout, in other words the criticism was Whitaker did enough to seal the victory and then other leaned with a nod to De La Hoya. In the aftermath, De La Hoya voiced his disappointment in his wagering a subpar graded effort against Whitaker and didn’t rule out a rematch with his foe but that rumor was muzzled quickly by Bob Arum desire to stay far away in entertaining any future forecast for an immediate rematch.

Whitaker would faced untimely obstacles for the first time to such an impeccable run, he twice tested positive in violation to random drug testing. It derailed his previous victory over boxing compeer in a title eliminator versus Andrey Pestryaev, resulting in an unfortunate nullification. Months flickered past to a lighter side of his six month suspension, the commission agreed to lift his suspension if Whitaker agreed to a random drug testing calendar. Whitaker agreed, this set up another potential collision with Ike Quartey. All seemed well until test results flagged Whitaker again for a repeated positive drug test cancelling the bout entirely.

February 20, 1999, the boxing community would welcome Whitaker back to the ring to face gamed Puerto Rican adversary Felix Trinidad. The pair competed for 12-solid rounds with the IBF title on the line. Momentum shifted early with Trinadad dropping Whitaker, the two battle close quarters cashing in on their offensive caches with effective scoring mid round. A Rigorous pace where both fighters pocketed spurts of inside dirty boxing and the heavy exchanges from Trindad wore the fight for Whitaker badly swollen eye form their heated firefight. This change the final stance for Whitaker who was less active in landing punches and content to elude additional damage for an unrelenting Trinadad. Whitaker would suffer his detriment, unanimous score cards read 117-111, 118-109, 118-109 in favor of Trinadad who finish strong in retaining his title.

Closing out his career would calendar a 2001 return at 155lbs that never maturated to the middle rounds. Whitaker would bow out with a serious injury due to a broken clavicle forcing a TKO stoppage. Whitaker would confirm post fight that it was time to hang up the gloves and retirement from the sport that blessed him with so much love and inspiration through the ups and downs. Though his final bout was now a reality, the stamp to his boxing greatness will forever chapter the boxing annals as one of the greatest fighters ever to compete in the squared circle.

A very special recognition for Whitaker anchored his name in the International Boxing Hall Of Fame on December 7, 2006. His boxing constituents who shared this induction was Ricardo Lopez and Roberto Duran all first ballot honorees.

On July 14 while in his hometown of Virginia Beach, Whitaker life was tragically shortened, he was struck by a motor vehicle and killed in the evening hours. The news spread throughout an emotional waterway of tears in remembrance of such a good guy as we know “Sweet Pea” but the purist to his backstory knows him as “Sweet Pete” to those hometown fans cheering Whitaker during his amateur launching pad into a blossoming superstar hailing out of Virginia. In his retirement, he would share his wealth of knowledge and experience in raising other fighters through the ranks as a boxing trainer.

We SALUTE you Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker. You’re gone but never forgotten in the hearts of many who adored your technical mastery. A beautiful history of highlight reels to marvel your Sweet Science for years to come. God Speed Warrior as you rest peacefully in the boxing pantheon above – One Love and Salute from World Combat Sports.