Ringside Report Remembers the Legendary Champion Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker (1964-2019)
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By Vinny “Glory Days” Lucci
Somewhere at the intersection of Baker Road and Northampton Boulevard the narrative of “Once upon a time” will give rise to the folklore that has already long been legend. On Sunday July 14th at 10:00 PM the fists of elegance were silenced as boxing great Pernell Whitaker was struck at the crossroads and pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.
The iconic southpaw who lived for the pocket inside the ropes and conducted business there has a chillingly sad epitaph bringing closure to a once glorious career. The driver of vehicle remained on the scene of tragedy in downtown Virginia Beach where Fatal Accident Crash Team claims the investigation is still ongoing but has dismissed any theories of speeding, drug or alcohol use playing any part in tragedy. Devon Whitaker the champion’s son claimed his Dad was wearing dark clothing at the time of accident and may be the most contributing factor to his untimely death. Whitaker was 55 years old.
As the boxing fraternity scans the headlines for threads of information Ringside Report bows its head and in heavy silence ringing the ring bell count of ten for one of the most prolific boxers who ever laced up leather gloves.
Young fans who weren’t privileged to witness Pete transcend the sport are urgently encouraged to “YouTube” the defining bouts of his career in which he reminded the world of his passionate commitment to prominence where he played matador to the bull every time he earned a paycheck. So indomitable were his fervent skills that he was appreciated beyond any singular fan base and renowned the world over.
Standing a mere 5’6” with a 69” reach Pernell first got the world’s attention with an outstanding amateur career that saw him win Gold in the 1983 Pan American Games, then later capping that off with an Olympic Gold Medal on the highly prolific 1984 team that like the ’76 squad hosted a handful of American champions. It was back in the day that one of his trainers coined the moniker “Sweet Pete” to describe his slick ring style. The acronym would get so drowned out in fan chants of praise that a local sports writer mistook the nickname for “Sweet Pea” and the label stuck. Apparently this never seemed to bother Whitaker as long as pundits realized his throwback skillset were a tip of the hat to the “Will of the Wisp” Willie Pep where it was suggested you’d need an oar to hit either defensive genius in the head once inside the ring.
Here again the decades have a way of elevating a deserving mortal to a pantheon fit only for kings. Talk up Petey among knowledge friends before the next PPV event and buddies will regale the group with wicked stories of surgeon-like precision against his era’s best and without the benefit of ice skating around the ring. Somehow his final ledger of 40-4-1-1, 17 KO’s will never pay homage to his unrecognized punching power. At welterweight where his body matured into the highlight of his career Pete had respectable jolt in his arsenal of punches as nobody ever walked through him. The mere suggestion he carried no power at all was downright ludicrous. Whitaker had a penchant for changing punching angles so rapidly he never fully committed to punching through his target with maximum leverage. While the revered power of Thomas Hearns comes along once in a lifetime Whitaker’s power could be favorably compared to Floyd Mayweather, JR.’s, this era’s last defensive genius.
In a hall of fame career that spanned seventeen years the American boxer from Virginia won titles in four divisions including Lightweight, Light Welterweight, Welterweight and Light Middleweight. At 135 pounds his belt collection included the straps of the IBF, WBA and WBC. His ledger is adorned with legends and the gritty fighters who made a name for themselves being gatekeepers to the top echelon in an era when the best boxers fought each other to decide the natural order inside the fistic universe. Included are Roger Mayweather, Rafael Pineda, Greg Haugen, Jose’ Luis Ramirez, Freddie Pendleton, Azumah Nelson, Jorge Paez, Harold Brazier, James “Buddy” McGirt, Julio Cesar Chavez, SR., Jake Rodriguez, Diosbelys Hurtado, Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad.
Ironically he was victimized several times in bad decisions that echoed the dirty politics of the sport. Both fans and media cried foul three times when WBC scorecards were read aloud. His first title try against Jose Luis Ramirez in France back in 1988 produced a SD which gave boxing magazine’s surplus until he avenged the loss a year later by UD. Even more irritating was his unforgettable stand at the Alamodome in San Antonio Texas in 1993 where a MD allowed the supposed pound for pound king Julio Cesar Chavez, SR. to retain his welterweight title. Pernell held his ground like a pitbull and daftly made the Mexican warrior miss while trading ring center for all 12 rounds. Finally in 1997 he yet again came up short losing his welterweight crown to Oscar De La Hoya in Nevada in a decision that displeased hard core fans and unbiased reporters.
It was at this junction his storied career took a trajectory in the wrong direction one final time. To his credit, Whitaker never succumbed to the speculation he may actually have lost any of those matches knowing the public had witnessed both his greatness and the robberies. Yet there were gym stories now making the rounds that Pete was heavily into drinking beer and was enjoying recreational nose candy. His next fight was originally ruled a UD 12 win over Andrey Pestryayev at Foxwoods Resort Casino but later changed to a NC when he failed the post-fight drug test.
His popularity secured one final championship try two years later against Felix Trinidad at Madison Square Garden. Whitaker had been on hiatus since the Connecticut debacle while Felix was enjoying his prime and cruised to a UD victory exploiting his God given advantages in height, reach, speed and power as well as the rapidly declining skills of the former champion. His next bout would be his last against one Carlos Bojorquez after another inexplicable two year absence losing by fourth round TKO in which he broke his clavicle and unable to continue.
Sadly even though still revered throughout the sport his glory days of retirement were void of the status he once enjoyed as an active fighter. In 2002, he was arrested for cocaine possession on two occasions. Three years later he would resurrect his career as a respected boxing trainer, but admittedly wasn’t making the kind of money he once enjoyed and a decade later was forced to deal with tax liens and foreclosures on properties he bought family who hadn’t maintained the up keep and had him on the brink of financial ruin.
He is survived by his daughter Dominique, and sons Dantavious and Devon. Together they shared the loss of Pernell, JR. Another daughter, Tiara from a previous relationship also carries his name.
Having met Pernell at the first McGirt fight at the Garden and a couple of years later after his sensational knock out of Hurtado in Atlantic City I felt compelled to reach out two years ago and get an interview to keep fans up to date. A cautious and private person he agreed to a twelve question capsule spanning his career and orchestrated with the help of his son. After three months of trying to negotiate a time frame it became apparent he either didn’t have the time to complete inquiry or didn’t care to take a trip down memory lane. The frustration of never getting the answers I sought will now linger like tiny replays of his fights in the recess of my mind. He will be forever missed. Take a final bow champ, you did good. My wish for you in silent prayer is that old Lion heart trainer Lou Duva was first to greet you on other side.
“In the clearing stands a boxer and a fighter by his trade and he carries the reminders of every glove that laid him down or cut him till he cried out in his anger and his shame, I am leaving, I am leaving but the fighter still remains…” (From The Boxer, by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel)
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