What's next for Russia? 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. During his long and successful career I never missed one of his fights. But Bob Arum, De La Hoya's promoter at that time, decided against it. Mark Lelinwalla is a contributing writer and editor for DAZN News. Death. 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 'Sweet Pea' Whitaker killed after he's hit by a vehicle in #PernellWhitaker pic.twitter.com/IZv3IQOo2f, It was an honor to share the ring with him. In 2002, The Ring ranked him tenth in their list of "The 100 Greatest Fighters of the Last 80 Years". 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. 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. Felix Trinidad throws a punch during a fight against Pernell Whitaker. Oscar De La Hoya (@OscarDeLaHoya) July 15, 2019, It was an honor to share the ring with him. Max Kellerman (@maxkellerman) July 15, 2019 RIP Sweet Pea. We share so many great memories. "But we said we can ask him, right? He later trained young prospect Joel Julio. Pernell Whitaker Obituary (1984 - 2015) - Norfolk, VA - The Virginian-Pilot Whitaker finished his career with a record of 40 wins, four losses and that one draw. He was born as the son to parents Raymond Whitaker Sr. and his wife, Novella Whitaker. Pernell Whitaker - This is Boxing - YouTube 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. We share so many great memories. Im going to get married in there, Whitaker said. Boxing champ Pernell Whitaker dies; hit by car in Virginia Legendary boxer, Pernell Whitaker passed away Sunday after being hit by a car. His humble beginnings started in Youngs Park Housing Community where he was inspired to start his boxing career. When cops arrived, they located the man who had been hit by a vehicle who was in really bad shape -- and our sources tell us that man was Pernell Whitaker. Whitaker was survived by his five children. 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. Boxing legend Pernell Whitaker was killed Sunday night after he was hit by a car in Virginia Beach, TMZ Sports has learned. Pernell Whitakerwas born on January 2, 1964, and he is an American professional boxer and four-weight world champion. [19][20][21], Whitaker's next bout was against Russian-born fighter Andrey Pestryayev in a world title elimination fight, where the winner would earn an automatic #1 contender spot for the WBA Welterweight crown, held at the time by Ike Quartey. Hell be a son forever until death do us part, but he is putting a rip through the family, Whitakers eldest sister, Zelda Brown told ABC News. The fight was much closer than what the scorecards showed, and many observers felt that Whitaker won the fight. In 2002, The Ring ranked Whitaker as the 10th Greatest Fighter of the Last 80 Years. Somebody that Ive always loved to watch and wanted to meet so bad and now it will never happen. We're told officials received a call around 10:04 PM in response to an accident at the intersection of Northampton Boulevard and Baker Road. In terms of his defense and ring generalship, Pernell Whitaker was the best fighter that I ever fought. Whitaker and Chavez, who was 87-0 at the time, were considered two of the greatest boxers, pound for pound, of their day. He was a flawless fighter. R I P champ, one of the best fighters to ever do it. "He was far from a perfect person and a pain in the ass at times, but I still loved him. Boxing hall of famer Pernell Whitaker dies at age of 55 in car accident Seconds Out. His is a Hall of Fame legacy, which we are forever grateful to call our own heritage. His death led to an outpouring of condolences from other the era's other superstars. All rights reserved. He would smile at you and demonstrate to you, while smiling, how remarkably easy this was for him.. He was 55-years-old. Legendary boxer Pernell Whitaker suffered "multiple blunt-force injuries" leading to his death at the age of 55 after being struck by a car while walking Sunday night in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Whitaker (who's from Virginia) was a BEAST in the ring winning world titles at 4 different weights -- lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight and light middleweight. Whitaker originally won the fight, but the win was nullified & changed to a No Decision after he failed a post-fight drug test. Four-weight champion struck by car on Sunday night, Considered by many to be greatest defensive boxer of all time. He had up to 500 amateur fights but finished with 214 amateur fights winning with 201 and 91 of them knockouts. "[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. "Sweet Pea" was one of the most brilliant boxers in the past decades and he was always a great . Though he was not particularly hard puncher still considered as a strong counterpuncher. Where Tyson was a savage wrecking ball, Whitaker was smooth and an untouchable thief in the night. In his lifetime career, he had won four-weight world champion with the titles lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight, and light middleweight; the undisputed lightweight title; and the lineal lightweight and welterweight titles. As an amateur, Whitaker won a silver medal in the lightweight division at the 1982 World Championships, followed by gold at the 1983 Pan American Games and 1984 Olympics. Pernell's lawyers said that he is not making the same kind of money as a trainer that he was as a boxer, and needed to sell off the home to satisfy the tax debt owed in order to prevent the property from being seized and put into foreclosure. Im going to surviveIm a survivor..Im going with my daughtershe is taking me in, she said. Im a scientist now, Im not a boxer. According to ABC News, the home was a two-story brick house near the Botanical Garden in Norfolk. We're told officials received a call around 10:04. Whitaker won a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics and became a champion in four weight classes as a professional. 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. Last night it was like someone put a knife in me and twisted it, Whitaker told Sports Illustrated the next day, irate at the decision. Im truly lost for words to hear Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker is no longer with us. DAZN uses cookies to help us deliver our services and improve your user experience. 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. In his next fight on March 4, 1995, Whitaker added Julio Csar Vsquez's WBA super welterweight title to his collection. SMH RIP SWEET PEA you will for ever be one of the greatest to ever lace em up. Whitaker is generally regarded as one of the greatest defensive boxers of all-time.[5]. Boxing Hall of Famer Pernell Whitaker dies in auto accident - Yahoo Sports Ex-Millionaire Boxer 'Sweet Pea' Whitaker Says Evicting Mom Is This photo was taken 7/13/19. Wow I cant believe this!!! Video Former Boxer: Evicting Mom Is a 'Beautiful Moment' I could watch hours and hours of him. Whitaker successfully defended his WBC belt against Scotland's Gary Jacobs on August 26, 1995. CNN Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker, considered one of the greatest lightweight boxers of all time, died Sunday after he was hit by a vehicle in Virginia, police said. He was the undisputed lightweight world champion and won titles at junior welterweight, welterweight and junior middleweight as one of the dominant forces in boxing for much of the 1980s and 1990s. Boxing Legend Pernell 'Sweet Pea' Whitaker Dead At 55, Hit By Car - YouTube Pernell graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1982 and later received an honorary Bachelor's degree from Norfolk State University. His youngest son, Devon, described his father as a cool guy on Monday. Whitakers career was recognized by other great boxers and athletes on social media, including Oscar De La Hoya and Magic Johnson. To me, he was one of the top five greatest boxers ever! The house started to gather back taxes and since Whitaker could no longer afford it, he had to take action. [2] He had six siblings, two brothers, Raymond Whitaker, Jr, Raynell Whitaker; and four sisters; Zelda Brown, Sylvonia Whitaker, Lucinda Manley, and Monique Williams. The Virginia Beach Police Department said the incident remains an active investigation, but Whitaker was apparently hit by a vehicle at around 10 p.m. Sunday when he was walking at an intersection. 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. In recent years, with the millions he had earned largely gone, Whitaker trained fighters, including Zab Judah, who won the I.B.F. We ended up paying for the wedding and had the reception after the show at the fight hotel.". "He would smile at you and demonstrate to you, while smiling, how remarkably easy this was for him.". He was born on 2 January 1964, in Norfolk, Virginia. Whitaker appeared to win handily, but while one judge scored the fight 115-113 for Whitaker, two others scored it 115-115, resulting in a majority draw that remains perhaps the most controversial decision in boxing history. 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.". To me, he was one of the top five greatest boxers ever! The driver was not cited -- though we're told that person is cooperating with authorities. Hes limited to what he can make training other boxers, Gould said. A planned fight in 1998 against Ike Quartey, then the W.B.A. He was a flawless fighter. https://t.co/OzPUCeBmgK. Boxing legend Pernell Whitaker was killed Sunday night after he was hit by a car in Virginia Beach, TMZ Sports has learned. He also remained active in Norfolk and spoke at city council meetings on behalf of the residents in support of community improvements. Gould also mentioned that Whitakers money has been drying up since he retired from professional fighting. He was 55. In his memory, there is an Instagram account @pernellwhitakerr with more than 2k followers. Whitaker was also the trainer for heavyweight Calvin Brock who, as recently as November 2006, fought for the IBF and IBO titles against Wladimir Klitschko, wherein Brock was knocked out in the 7th round. He was born on 2 January 1964, in Norfolk, Virginia. [12] The now-defuncted Bert Sugar's Boxing Illustrated" magazine had a heading on the cover of its post-fight edition telling readers not to buy the issue if they really believed "The Fight" was a draw.[13]. 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. Boxing legend Pernell 'Sweet Pea' Whitaker, 55, fatally hit by pickup Duva said. Examined. On March 6, 1993, he decisioned Buddy McGirt to become the Lineal and WBC Welterweight Champion. Glad I got to sit next to him at the Ward v Kovalev fight in Las Vegas. Whitaker and Anthony, who are now divorced, had four children Domonique, the late Pernell Jr., Dantavious, and Devon. February 27, 2014. world super lightweight title under Whitakers tutelage. Loved him. In terms of his defense and ring generalship, Pernell Whitaker was the best fighter that I ever fought. 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. 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]. Thank you for inspiring me and all the future champions to do the sport that we love. Though he is not in this world anymore, he has a fan page account on different social media platforms. The autopsy on Pernell Whitaker has been completed -- with officials saying the boxer died from "multiple blunt force injuries" in a car accident that has been labelled an "accident." TMZ. The victim succumbed to his injuries on the scene, a Virginia Beach Police Department spokesman said in a statement. 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. #RipSweetPea https://t.co/TSzFcf5d5Y, Very sad to hear the news about Pernell Whitaker today.RIP Champ. Caption: Pernell Whitaker, late American professional boxer. The couples marriage held in the boxing ring at the Virginia Beach Pavilion Convention Center on 2 January 1964. R I P champ, one of the best fighters to ever do it. Thank you for inspiring me and all the future champions to do the sport that we love. I couldnt have performed better.. Source: Business Insider. He was 55. Click Agree to accept our use of cookies or you can choose to opt out of our use of cookies by following the instructions in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice. Pernell's passing is a great loss. [25] In the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds the fighters exchanged combinations. "I loved Pernell Whitaker, and he loved me -- there was no doubt . DIED 2019 PERNELL WHITAKER OBITUARY Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker was a boxing legend who was considered one of the best boxers pound for pound in the history of the sport. across the cover and they believed that Whitaker had won no less than 9 of the 12 rounds in the fight. American boxing legend, Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker died at the age of 55 Sunday after being struck by a car in Virginia Beach. [18], For his part, De La Hoya wasn't too pleased with his own performance against Whitaker and had hinted at a possible rematch to prove that he could do better against him. "I can't really say how I'm feeling because I'm feeling shocked. Cops are investigating. Rest in Peace my friend. During his professional career, he had 40 wins, 17 knockouts, four losses and one draw, per CNN. 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. #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. Somebody that Ive always loved to watch and wanted to meet so bad and now it will never happen. Pernell graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1982 and later received an honorary Bachelors degree from Norfolk State University. Divisional rankings: Where do Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia land after their megafight? Additionally, he has gained his nickname as Sweet Pea. Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker, an Olympic gold medalist, was regarded as one . [25] Later in the fight, both boxers fell to the canvas in what were ruled as "accidental slips. Condolences to his family. When officers arrived on scene they located an adult male victim who had been hit by a vehicle. He had inducted into the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. He jumped at it, and Rovanda loved it also. Im praying for his family. [4] In 1989, Whitaker was named Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America. We send our condolences to his family, as well as his extended family at Main Events and throughout the boxing community.". During his long and successful career I never missed one of his fights. Pernell Whitaker is legally having his mother evicted from a home she's been living in since 1984. Mauricio Sulaiman. He won a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics. They had four children together: Dominique, the late Pernell Jr., Dantavious, and Devon. A southpaw, Whitaker was known for his outstanding defensive skills and for being a strong counterpuncher. mourned his death. He fought everyone from Oscar De La Hoya to Julio Cesar Chavez -- and even though he lost to Oscar and Julio was a draw many people believe he was ROBBED in both decisions because he clearly won the fights. "I loved Pernell Whitaker, and he loved me -- there was no doubt," Duva, whose late husband, Dan, signed Whitaker out of the amateurs along with several 1984 U.S. Olympians, told ESPN. This is insanely sad. Pernell Whitaker Wife He was 55. . 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 had a lot of problems outside the ring, and those problems probably cut his career short," Duva said. 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 a vehicle. Due to his financial problems, Whitaker had to file eviction orders against his mother, then 73-year-old, Novella Whitaker. We have just received the sad news informing us that Pernell Whitaker has passed. Pernell Whitaker, right, fighting Julio Cesar Vasquez in Atlantic City in April 1995. . 9:54. Whitaker, defending his WBC championship and the mythical status as the best boxer in the world, pound for pound, succeeded in making De La Hoya look bad through his crafty defense, but he was unable to mount a sufficient offense to convince the judges. #Boxing has lost one of its best and Ive lost a friend. Condolences to his family. Boxing community reacts to tragic death of Pernell Whitaker Since then, Whitaker went through financial struggles as his career transitioned from professional fighter to boxing trainer. With his defensive techniques and skilled counterpunch, he had fought from 1984 to 2001. Olympic boxing champion Pernell Whitaker dies after being hit by car Whitaker won. pic.twitter.com/Zsgqa66FKF, When Pernell Whitaker was world champion from lightweight to light middleweight, he was something special. His fall from grace and solvency involved numerous incidences of drug abuse and a history of arrests and run-ins with police. During his welterweight reign, Whitaker made a one-fight jump to junior middleweight and outpointed Julio Cesar Vasquez in 1995 to win a title in his fourth division. Stars Arrive to Fashion's Biggest Night!!! Virginia Beach - Pernell Whitaker Jr was born on October 5, 1984 and passed on Tuesday September 1, 2015. Hes not happy that it was necessary to go to court, his lawyer Bruce Gould told ABC News. How good will the promotion be? Im praying for his family during this difficult time. He passed away on Sunday, July 14, 2019.[27]. Boxing legend Pernell 'Sweet Pea' Whitaker dies after being struck by a #Boxing has lost one of its best and Ive lost a friend. [24], On February 20, 1999, Whitaker suffered his first convincing defeat against the much bigger, much fresher Flix Trinidad, gamely taking the Puerto Rican the distance in an attempt to win Trinidad's IBF welterweight title. Boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Did Gervonta Davis make the top 10? 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. This is insanely sad. He could stand in front of you and you couldnt find him, Jim Lampley, the longtime HBO boxing announcer, said in a phone interview. But he still showed up at the arena to marry his fiance, Rovanda Anthony, in the ring after the evenings last fight. The victory over McGirt set him up for a much-anticipated fight against Julio Cesar Chavez at the Alamodome in San Antonio. He then faced the undefeated Oscar De La Hoya in 1997 for the W.B.C. His wake will be on Monday September 7, 2015 at the Metropolitan Funeral Home in Berkley. In 2002, The Ring ranked him in the list of 10th Greatest Fighter of the Last 80 Years. VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia -- 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. Following the fight, he announced his retirement and recorded his professional career with 40-4-1 with 17 knockouts. Whitaker was awarded an official knockdown in the 9th round and, according to CompuBox stats, outlanded De La Hoya in overall punches and connect percentage, using the jab as his primary weapon; but De La Hoya threw and landed almost twice as many power punches and had a slightly higher power punch connect percentage than Whitaker and showed more agression in the fight, which may have been the key factors in De La Hoya winning by a disputed unanimous decision. Source: Business Insider. As great as Whitaker was, many wondered how much greater he could have been without the drug addiction that plagued him throughout his career. According to reports, he was a pedestrian and while crossing the street in Virginia Beach, he was struck and killed by a vehicle and the driver remained on there. Whitaker felt like neither his mother or other family members were contributing to the cost of the house, therefore he proceeded with the eviction. 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. (modern). 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. 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. Former boxing champion Pernell Whitaker has died after he was hit by a car in Virginia. 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.
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