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. has died. Gould also mentioned that Whitakers money has been drying up since he retired from professional fighting. His fall from grace and solvency involved numerous incidences of drug abuse and a history of arrests and run-ins with police. Caption: Pernell Whitaker, late American professional boxer. On December 7, 2006, Whitaker was inducted in the International Boxing Hall of Fame along with contemporaries Roberto Durn and Ricardo Lpez. He also won a gold medal as a lightweight at the 1984 Olympics. Send me email updates and offers from TMZ and its Affiliates. After Whitakers death, his son Domonique took to Facebook to announce his fathers passing. Hurtado had Whitaker down on all the judges scorecards going into the 11th round: Hurtado scored flash knockdowns against Whitaker in rounds 1 and 6, and Whitaker had a point deducted in the 9th round for hitting Hurtado behind the head. 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. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ", I'm deeply saddened by the loss of this great champion, who gave a tremendous amount of joy to those who watched him. Felix Trinidad throws a punch during a fight against Pernell Whitaker. 11:09. Examined. He was 55-years-old. Whitaker and Anthony, who are now divorced, had four children Domonique, the late Pernell Jr., Dantavious, and Devon. He later trained young prospect Joel Julio. 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. He has written for the likes of the New York Daily News, Men's Health, The Associated Press, Sports Illustrated, Complex, XXL and Vibe Magazine. 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. 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 was 55. He then beat Rafael Pineda for the I.B.F. [25] In the last round, Whitaker, with a badly swollen right eye, displayed a purely defensive stance, avoiding his opponent throughout the round while Trinidad continued on the offensive until the fight concluded. [29], Pernell had personal struggles and in June 2002 was convicted of cocaine possession after a judge found he violated the terms of a previous sentence by overdosing on cocaine in March. When officers arrived on scene they located an adult male victim who had been hit by a vehicle. Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. We're told officials received a call around 10:04. As great as Whitaker was, many wondered how much greater he could have been without the drug addiction that plagued him throughout his career. 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. Examined. Pernell Whitaker Jr Passes Away Today From Rare Cancer Boxing and Basketball 12.9K subscribers Subscribe 12K views 7 years ago Make Sure you hit the Thanks Button Down Below This Channel to. Whitaker had an extensive amateur boxing career, having started at the age of nine. 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 was only 55. 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.". Anyone can read what you share. 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. In my Top 2 fave fighters. Now a champion, Whitaker proceeded to dominate boxing's middle divisions over the first half of the 1990s. "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. On March 6, 1993, he decisioned Buddy McGirt to become the Lineal and WBC Welterweight Champion. He crowned his amateur career with an Olympic gold medal in 1984, beating Luis Ortiz to obtain it. 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 truly lost for words to hear Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker is no longer with us. The judges gave the champion scores of 117111, 118109 and 118109.[25]. #ripsweetpea pic.twitter.com/un90hPmIO6. 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. He jumped at it, and Rovanda loved it also. " C4TV" - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvSZMLlUrPISUCxiDsnFVPwPernell Whitaker (born January 2 . Police in Virginia Beach said Whitaker was killed as he crossed the road at an intersection on Sunday night. 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! welterweight champion, was scuttled when Whitaker again tested positive for cocaine. 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. (modern). His youngest son, Devon, described his father as a cool guy on Monday. 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. SMH RIP SWEET PEA you will for ever be one of the greatest to ever lace em up. "But we said we can ask him, right? Waking up to this news just has me GUTTED. Outside of the Virginia courtroom where the eviction proceedings took place, he called the ruling in his favor "a beautiful moment. This was a history making fight for Whitaker, as he became only the fourth fighter in history - joining Thomas Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Roberto Durn - to have won a legitimate world title in four different weight classes. "The driver of the vehicle remained on scene with police.". He was 55. In addition, he won a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics and 1983 Pan American Games. Whitaker won. However, their marriage didnt go well and divorced after years. His highlight of 1991 was a win over Jorge Pez and a fight against European Champion Poli Daz that ended in another win. Pernell graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1982 and later received an honorary Bachelors degree from Norfolk State University. 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. The American was known as a brilliant defensive boxer with many opponents struggling to lay a hand on him. Boxing legend Pernell Whitaker was killed Sunday night after he was hit by a car in Virginia Beach, TMZ Sports has learned. "I can't really say how I'm feeling because I'm feeling shocked. but no information regarding it. R.I.P. 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, known by the nickname "Sweet Pea," managed to become one of the best boxers in history despite suffering from adrug addiction. It's NOT a hit and run situation. We share so many great memories. The former four-division world champion had made a good earning out of his career in his lifetime. The International Boxing Hall of Fame announced that it would fly its flags at half-staff in Whitaker's memory. [2] He had six siblings, two brothers, Raymond Whitaker, Jr, Raynell Whitaker; and four sisters; Zelda Brown, Sylvonia Whitaker, Lucinda Manley, and Monique Williams. Former boxing champion Pernell Whitaker has died after he was hit by a car in . #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. 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. Whitaker's youngest son, Devon Whitaker, told The Virginian-Pilot newspaper that his dad was a "cool guy." . We are deeply saddened with this new; May the legend rest in eternal peace. Though he is not in this world anymore, he has a fan page account on different social media platforms. 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. In 2002, The Ring ranked him tenth in their list of "The 100 Greatest Fighters of the Last 80 Years". Death. 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 . However, he chose to move back to welterweight.[14][15]. Its significantly diminished over the years and hes not able to maintain this $400,000 house for his mother and siblings to live in.. My prayers are with his family and loved ones. 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. Outside of the ring, Sweet Pea served his community and the youth in everything that he did. 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. Cops are investigating. "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. While one judge did score the fight in favor of Whitaker (115-113), the other 2 judges saw an even bout (115-115), resulting in a majority draw. Whitaker won titles in the lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight and light middleweight divisions. Further, he holds the longest unified lightweight championship reign in boxing history to date with six title defenses. The accident occurred at approximately 10 p.m . In 1993, in the fight after the megafight with Chavez, Whitaker notched the first of his two decision wins over Hall of Famer James "Buddy" McGirt to win a welterweight world title, which he defended eight times before losing it to De La Hoya. On behalf of everyone at Golden Boy, we send our prayers and condolences to his family and friends.". 9:54. No matter what he was going through, Pete had a great heart. Novella Whitaker said she was heartbroken by the decision. Pernell Whitakerwas born on January 2, 1964, and he is an American professional boxer and four-weight world champion. [25] The fight began with both boxers displaying aggressive styles, which included excessive pushing. 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. Wow I cant believe this!!! He was also regarded as one of the best defensive boxers of all time. 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. super lightweight title in 1992 and Buddy McGirt for the World Boxing Council welterweight belt in early 1993. [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]. 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. ABC News' calls to a number listed for Pernell Whitaker went unanswered today. 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! Who has the edge? A street fighter as a youngster, he learned to box at a local recreation center. "An artist in the ring, 'Sweet Pea' appeared on our World Championship Boxing platform for a decade [1990-1999], giving fans many unforgettable moments. Moreover, as a professional boxer, he played around 46 fights in which he won 40. pic.twitter.com/Zsgqa66FKF, When Pernell Whitaker was world champion from lightweight to light middleweight, he was something special. Moreover, from the age of nine, he started his training in an amateur boxing career. "[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. When he returned to the ring in early 1999, he fractured his jaw in a decisive loss to Felix Trinidad for the I.B.F. Pernell Whitaker was born on Jan. 2, 1964, in Norfolk, Va., one of seven children of Raymond and Novella Whitaker. We ended up paying for the wedding and had the reception after the show at the fight hotel.". #PernellWhitaker pic.twitter.com/IZv3IQOo2f, It was an honor to share the ring with him. Oscar De La Hoya (@OscarDeLaHoya) July 15, 2019, It was an honor to share the ring with him. Here's what you need to know about his family. Unclear if the driver of the car was arrested but he did stay on the scene to speak with police. pic.twitter.com/pZZEceN7h2. Pernell Whitaker Sr.[2] (January 2, 1964 July 14, 2019)[3] was an American professional boxer who competed from 1984 to 2001, and subsequently worked as a boxing trainer. In terms of his defense and ring generalship, Pernell Whitaker was the best fighter that I ever fought. Boxing legend Pernell Whitaker was killed Sunday night after he was hit by a car in Virginia Beach, TMZ Sports has learned. Women's boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Did Baumgardner do enough to overtake Serrano? After Whitakers boxing career ended, his personal life took a hit as he had several run-ins with drug abuse and legal troubles, according to ABC News. R I P champ, one of the best fighters to ever do it. The fight secured Whitaker the WBC, IBF and WBA lightweight titles. In my Top 2 fave fighters. 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. His strong and fit body had a measurement of 42 inches chest, 32 inches waist, and 35 inches hips size. How good will the promotion be? pic.twitter.com/sa4qZIDIIG, Im truly lost for words to hear Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker is no longer with us. In fact, as one person involved in the investigation put it "It appears to just be a horrible accident.". In his memory, there is an Instagram account @pernellwhitakerr with more than 2k followers. 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. Whitaker outpunched De La Hoya and scored the only knockdown, but the judges awarded De La Hoya a unanimous decision. 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. Although Anthony said she always wanted to have a church wedding she told the Associated Press that the boxing ring was the best place. Whitaker was survived by his five children. 10:49 AM PT -- The driver in the crash was NOT arrested -- and law enforcement officials tell us they do NOT believe drugs, alcohol or speed was a factor. He was 55. . Whitaker now intends to sell the house to retain the $150,000 of equity in the home to recoup $18,000 in overdue taxes he paid on the building on behalf of his mother and two siblings living there, his lawyer said. 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.. Sweet Pea was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006 -- and is considered by many to be one of the greatest fighters of ALL TIME. On August 11, 1990, he knocked out Juan Nazario in one round to win the WBA and vacant lineal lightweight titles,[9] becoming the first Undisputed Lightweight Champion since Roberto Durn. Boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Did Gervonta Davis make the top 10? This photo was taken 7/13/19. 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. 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. What's next for Russia? His youngest son, Devon, described his father as a . Whitaker, known as Sweet Pea or Pete, was an elusive fighter who deftly avoided being hit, or hurt, by his opponents. Whitaker was a legendary boxer who multiple titles in several different weight classes. His wake will be on Monday September 7, 2015 at the Metropolitan Funeral Home in Berkley. Brett Caprioni Bio, Family, Career, Wife, Net Worth, Measurements. But since we cant seem to keep Pete out of the boxing ring, I guess this is the best place.. Pernell Whitakers Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. A ghetto beating.. One of the greatest boxers of my lifetime and my good friend Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker passed away last night. Pernell Whitaker, a left-handed defensive master in the boxing ring who won a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics and became a champion in four weight classes as a professional, was killed on Sunday when he was struck by a car in Virginia Beach. In 1990, he defended his Lightweight title against future champion Freddie Pendleton and Super Featherweight Champion Azumah Nelson of Ghana. pic.twitter.com/56T1ueHiLh, So Sad. Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker went from success to struggling. I could watch hours and hours of him. [27] "It was an honor to share the ring with him. We're told the case will be kicked over to prosecutors to evaluate but it's unlikely the driver will be hit with criminal charges. Mark Lelinwalla is a contributing writer and editor for DAZN News. Additionally, he has gained his nickname as Sweet Pea. 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. By subscribing, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. The two met in a welterweight superfight simply named "The Fight"[11] on September 10, 1993 in San Antonio, Texas. . Rest in Peace my friend. He was the pound for pound best for half a decade, and one of the 3 greatest pure boxers who ever lived. He was the pound for pound best for half a decade, and one of the 3 greatest pure boxers who ever lived. Since then, Whitaker went through financial struggles as his career transitioned from professional fighter to boxing trainer. Whitaker had been going head to head against the matriarch of his seven-child family since last fall when he began eviction proceedings after unsuccessfully trying to convince his mother to move, his lawyer, Bruce Gould told ABC News. Condolences to his family. Somebody that Ive always loved to watch and wanted to meet so bad and now it will never happen. [2] He had six siblings, two brothers, Raymond Whitaker, Jr, Raynell Whitaker; and four sisters; Zelda Brown, Sylvonia Whitaker, Lucinda Manley, and Monique Williams. Shortly after turning pro, Whitaker married Rovanda Anthony in 1985. Former boxing champion Pernell Whitaker has died after he was hit by a car in Virginia. His pro career began in 1984 and spanned all the way through 2001, with an amazing 40-4-1 record including 17 knockouts. Divisional rankings: Where do Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia land after their megafight? Whitakers career was recognized by other great boxers and athletes on social media, including Oscar De La Hoya and Magic Johnson. He was a four-weight world champion, having won titles at lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight, and light middleweight; the undisputed lightweight title; and the lineal lightweight and welterweight titles. Glad I got to sit next to him at the Ward v Kovalev fight in Las Vegas. In the following rounds, both boxers used their jabs most of the time, with Trinidad gaining an advantage when Whitaker attempted to attack inside, eventually scoring a knockdown in round two. At 10 he fought in the Norfolk Arena; by 13 he was battling sailors from the nearby naval base. His. But he was a cool guy.". Legendary boxer, Pernell Whitaker passed away Sunday after being hit by a car. RIP Sweet Pea. 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. During his professional career, he had 40 wins, 17 knockouts, four losses and one draw, per CNN. Before his professional career, Whitaker won a gold medal in the lightweight division at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. He was 55 years old.. Since the glory days, Whitaker has been training young boxers, but work is slowly drying up, according to Gould. But Bob Arum, De La Hoya's promoter at that time, decided against it. [25] In the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds the fighters exchanged combinations. 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. Pernell Whitaker, who forged a reputation as arguably the greatest defensive boxer who ever lived, died late Sunday in Virginia Beach . Duva said. 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 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. 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.
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