24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. 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]. Before his professional career, Whitaker won a gold medal in the lightweight division at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Whitaker would fight nine times in the Scope arena during his career. He also won a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics in L.A. From 1993 to 1997 he was considered the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Sweet Pea has two siblings: a brother, Raymond, Jr., and a sister, Monique. 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. A planned fight in 1998 against Ike Quartey, then the W.B.A. But he now has two mortgages on the house and the alternative was if he didnt sell, it was going to go to foreclosure.. [25] In the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds the fighters exchanged combinations. Outside of the ring, Sweet Pea served his community and the youth in everything that he did. 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 pic.twitter.com/IqmXkqpqkG, May you Rest In Peace.. Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker! 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. He could stand in front of you and you couldnt find him, Jim Lampley, the longtime HBO boxing announcer, said in a phone interview. 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. Im still trying to process everything thats going on. Following this fight, Whitaker officially announced his retirement. Send me email updates and offers from TMZ and its Affiliates. It was a blowout, a shutout. What happens when a boxer kills his opponent? Former boxing champion Pernell Whitaker has died after he was hit by a car in Virginia. Examined. Whitaker, 50, bought the two-story brick home near the Botanical Garden in Norfolk, Va., for his mother in 1984 when he was still flush from his many wins in the ring. pic.twitter.com/pZZEceN7h2. What's next for Russia? 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. Whitaker successfully defended his WBC belt against Scotland's Gary Jacobs on August 26, 1995. But Whitaker's final falling out with his family came to an ugly end in a Virginia court on Wednesday. Whitaker originally won the fight, but the win was nullified & changed to a No Decision after he failed a post-fight drug test. Emergency medical personnel at the scene tried to resuscitate Whitaker -- even performing CPR on him -- but unfortunately, Whitaker succumbed to his injuries and died. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. He was. Whitaker was survived by his five children. Whitaker won. He then beat Rafael Pineda for the I.B.F. He also won a gold medal as a lightweight at the 1984 Olympics. 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. We ended up paying for the wedding and had the reception after the show at the fight hotel.". Wow I cant believe this!!! This is insanely sad. Im praying for his family during this difficult time. His is a Hall of Fame legacy, which we are forever grateful to call our own heritage. He said to ABC News affiliate WVEC-TV that it was a beautiful moment.. Boxing champ Pernell Whitaker dies; hit by car in 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. The victim succumbed to his injuries on the scene," Virginia Beach Police Department spokesman L.M. 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 . 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. 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! [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. 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. 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. The driver of the vehicle remained on scene with police.. Video Former Boxer: Evicting Mom Is a 'Beautiful Moment' RIP Champ. Duva said. He was 55. In fact, as one person involved in the investigation put it "It appears to just be a horrible accident.". [25] The fight began with both boxers displaying aggressive styles, which included excessive pushing. Whitaker was recognized by boxing publication Ring Magazine as Fighter of the Year in 1989 and was ranked as one of the top ten boxers in the past 80 years by the publication. 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. 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. Im a scientist now, Im not a boxer. https://t.co/pZZEceN7h2, I am saddened to learn of my good friend and Olympic teammate Pernell Whitaker's untimely passing last night. Pernell Whitaker is legally having his mother evicted from a home she's been living in since 1984. He retired after being stopped, his shoulder injured, in the fourth round of a fight against Carlos Bojorquez in 2001. Pernell Whitaker Bio, Family, Career, Net Worth, Wife, Death 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. But he was a cool guy.". Four-weight champion struck by car on Sunday night, Considered by many to be greatest defensive boxer of all time. The house started to gather back taxes and since Whitaker could no longer afford it, he had to take action. " C4TV" - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvSZMLlUrPISUCxiDsnFVPwPernell Whitaker (born January 2 . Moreover, from the age of nine, he started his training in an amateur boxing career. Rest in Peace my friend. 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. Im truly lost for words to hear Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker is no longer with us. 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. Pernell Whitaker, right, fighting Julio Cesar Vasquez in Atlantic City in April 1995. Further, the ex-couple welcomed four children: Devon Whitaker, Dominique Whitaker, Pernell Whitaker Jr., and Dantavious Whitaker. He was 55. 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. Since the glory days, Whitaker has been training young boxers, but work is slowly drying up, according to Gould. 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. By subscribing, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. 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. He won a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics. In 2006, Whitaker was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, in his first year of eligibility. The driver of the car remained at the scene, and the police said they were investigating the incident. Following the loss to De La Hoya, Whitaker outpointed Andrey Pestriev but tested positive for cocaine, and the result was changed to a no decision. #PernellWhitaker pic.twitter.com/IZv3IQOo2f, It was an honor to share the ring with him. In 1990, he defended his Lightweight title against future champion Freddie Pendleton and Super Featherweight Champion Azumah Nelson of Ghana. Women's boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Did Baumgardner do enough to overtake Serrano? 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.
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