Pernell Whitaker

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Pernell Whitaker boxer
Data
Birth Name Pernell Whitaker
Weight class Welterweight
nationality United StatesUnited States US-american
birthday 2nd January 1964
place of birth Norfolk (Virginia)
Date of death 14th July 2019
Place of death Virginia Beach
style Legal display
size 1.68 m
Combat Statistics
Struggles 46
Victories 40
Knockout victories 17th
Defeats 4th
draw 1
No value 1
Profile in the BoxRec database

Pernell Whitaker (born January 2, 1964 in Norfolk , Virginia - † July 14, 2019 in Virginia Beach , Virginia) was an American boxer .

amateur

Whitaker started boxing when he was nine. In 1982 the southpaw Whitaker reached the final at the World Championships in Munich , but lost to the Cuban Ángel Herrera on points (3-2). At the Pan American Games 1983 in Caracas , however, he prevailed in the final against Herrera. In the Olympic Games of Los Angeles in 1984, he won after beating Adolfo Mendez, Nicaragua (5: 0), Geoffrey Nyeko, Uganda (5: 0), Reiner Gies , Germany (5: 0), Chun Chil-sung , South Korea ( 5: 0), and in the final over Luis Ortiz , Puerto Rico (AB 2nd), the gold medal in the lightweight. Then he became a professional. His outstanding record as an amateur boxer was 201 wins (91 by knockout) in 214 fights.

Professional career

Whitaker signed his professional contract with Main Events ; he was trained by George Benton, Randy Shields and Lou Duva and managed by Shelly Finkel.

He began his professional career in 1984 as a lightweight and bribed with legal display and skillful defensive behavior. His clout was unimpressive, his ability to take was rather average.

On March 12, 1988, he boxed in France against the Mexican José Luis Ramirez for the WBC lightweight world championship and lost on points. This fight is seen as a farce in the USA, and journalists saw Whitaker clearly ahead.

After just one build-up battle, he got another chance for the title and won the IBF title on February 18, 1989 by winning points over defending champion Greg Haugen . As early as August 1989 he was able to add the WBC title by winning the rematch over Ramirez. After successfully defending his title against Azumah Nelson , he was able to win the WBA crown on August 11, 1990 through a first-round knockout over Juan Nazario . In doing so, he achieved the rare feat of uniting all the important and recognized titles at the time.

He then looked for a new challenge, rose to the light welterweight division and also won a world title in this weight class. He defeated the Colombian Rafael Pineda on July 18, 1992 and thus secured the IBF title, only to lay it down again and switch to the welterweight division.

On March 6, 1993, Whitaker defeated Buddy McGirt for the WBC welterweight title. He successfully defended the belt eight times until 1997, including in a rematch with McGirt and with a draw against Don King boxer Julio César Chavez . Since he was considered the winner in the press in this fight, however, he was declared the best boxer across all weight classes (" pound-for-pound "). In 1995 he was able to briefly win the WBA light middleweight title against Julio César Vasquez, a hard hitting Argentine southpaw, but remained welterweight.

He finally lost his welterweight title after four years on April 12, 1997 against Óscar de la Hoya just on points.

In the late 1990s, his drug and alcohol problems became known; a Whitaker victory in October 1997 was not counted because he had tested positive for the use of cocaine. After a year and a half of rehabilitation, he returned to the ring in 1999 and went straight to the IBF title holder Félix Trinidad , but lost this fight on points. He ended his career after another defeat that broke his collarbone .

In 2007 Whitaker was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame .

Pernell Whitaker died in July 2019 at the age of 55 as a result of a traffic accident.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Boxer Pernell Whitaker Dead at 55 ... Hit By Car. TMZ, July 15, 2019, accessed July 15, 2019.
predecessor Office successor
Greg Haugen World lightweight boxing champion ( IBF )
February 18, 1989 - 1992 		Freddie Pendleton
Julio César Chavez World lightweight boxing champion ( WBC )
August 20, 1989 - 1992 		Miguel Ángel González
Juan Nazario World lightweight boxing champion ( WBA )
August 11, 1990 - 1992 		Joey Gamache
Rafael Pineda World Light Welterweight Boxing Champion ( IBF )
July 18, 1992-1993 		Charles Murray
Buddy McGirt Welterweight Boxing Champion ( WBC )
March 6, 1993 - April 12, 1997 		Óscar de la Hoya
personal data
SURNAME Whitaker, Pernell
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American boxer
DATE OF BIRTH 2nd January 1964
PLACE OF BIRTH Norfolk , Virginia , United States
DATE OF DEATH 14th July 2019
Place of death Virginia Beach , Virginia , United States