Born on January 2, 1964, height 1 meter 68 cm, attacking distance 1 meter 75 cm, stance - left-handed Olympic champion, ex-world champion in four weight categories. This is a unique boxer, without having a large body size, physical strength and power, he had phenomenal reflexes, agility and unique striking skills that cannot be acquired with even the most exhausting training.
Often inferior to his opponents in height, as well as strength and power, Whitaker won by demonstrating and using fantastic tricks, both defense and attack. By putting his opponents in situations where they could not inflict any significant damage on him. It was precisely because of his style of conducting the fight that some judges were not objective towards him, in addition, some boxing fans called Whitaker’s style not very spectacular. However, many analysts, experts and journalists pay tribute to his talent.
During his career from 1984 to 2001, he beat almost every top fighter in the weight classes from 135 to 154 pounds. However, his boxing career initially did not spoil him with fame and universal attention, as was the case with his colleagues on the Olympic team Meldrick Taylor, Evander Holyfield and Arc Breeland. Frequent injuries to his left hand and leg damage hindered his advancement in the professional boxing rankings.
Pernell Whitaker's achievements: silver at the 1982 World Lightweight Championship, 1984 Olympic champion, WBC champion (1989-1992), WBA (1990-1992) lightweight champion, IBF (1989-1992), IBF champion (1992- 1993) in the first welterweight category, WBC champion (1993-1997) in the welterweight category, WBA champion (1995) in the first middleweight category. According to The Ring magazine, he was recognized as the best boxer of 1989, a member of the World and International Boxing Hall of Fame.
From the late 80s to the late 90s, Whitaker did not leave the top ten of the most authoritative boxing magazine The Ring, as well as the top ten of the world P4P rating. In addition, for most of these years, Pernell was in the top three boxers in the world, and in 1993 - 1994 he took first place. In 1984, at the Olympics in Los Angeles, Pernell Whitaker won gold.
Pernell Whitaker was born on January 2, 1964 in the port city of Norfolk, located in the southeastern part of Virginia, on the Atlantic coast of the United States. Pernell started boxing at the age of 9. The boy’s natural talent was visible to the naked eye, and his first major success came to him at the age of 18, when he became the winner of the US lightweight championship among adults. That same year, being included in the country's national team, Whitaker won a silver medal at the World Championships, losing only in the final to the famous two-time Olympic champion from Cuba, Angel Herrera. But subsequently, Purnell took revenge on the formidable Cuban four times, achieving the most notable victory over him a year later - in the final of the Pan American Games - 1983.
To become the winner, he had to defeat four opponents, which he did brilliantly with a 5:0 score. The fight in the final with Puerto Rican boxer Luis Ortiz ended early. In the second round, Whitaker performed two brilliant knockdowns, after which the Puerto Rican surrendered. Whitaker's track record includes 201 victories, 91 of which were completed ahead of schedule, and only 14 defeats.
During Whitaker's amateur performances, he was given the interesting nickname Sweet Pea, which later became famous. At first, close family and friends called him Pete and local fans chanted Sweet Pete. However, one sports observer misheard the phrase as Sweet Pea and wrote it that way in a local sports newspaper.
So this nickname stuck to it, which translated from English means a green plant of the legume family - sweet pea. After his Olympic victories, Pernell Whitaker moved to the professional league. He signed a contract with the US promotion company Main Events, at that time one of the largest and most powerful, led by the famous Lou Duva. But Whitaker was directly trained by the famous boxer George Benton.
However, Whitaker carved out his niche, his success laying in a unique defense that mesmerized spectators and opponents. By December 1986, he had 6 knockdowns in 11 fights, and had all 11 victories. The last of the fights in that series was a victory over Alfredo Laine. Whitaker mocked Alfredo with a jumping 360-degree right hook.
He won all ten rounds. This fight infuriated fans of classic boxing. At the same time, Whitaker demonstrated a bright, although somewhat foppish style, which is why many referees tried to give rounds in favor of his opponents. However, Whitaker did not change. His well-tuned defense prevented his opponents from making two clean shots in a row, leaving opponents to fend off counter attacks.
Whitaker's professional debut took place on November 15, 1984 at the legendary New York arena Madison Square Garden. Together with him, five more teammates from the 1984 American Olympic team entered the professional ring for the first time - Evander Holyfield, Meldrick Taylor, Mark Breland, Tyrell Biggs and Virgil Hill. For his debut fight, Whitaker received a fee of 75 thousand dollars, and an undefeated clubfighter from Texas, Fairrain Como, was selected as his opponent. Pernell gave his opponent an exemplary spanking, whipping him heartily. The referee stopped the beating at the end of the 2nd round, and the audience was delighted with Whitaker's performance.
Whitaker's further career growth occurred just as quickly and rapidly. In March 1987, Pernell was about to challenge his first NABF title and enter the ring against former world champion Roger Mayweather. It was a great fight. Already in the first round, Whitaker sent his opponent to a heavy knockdown, only the gong saved Mayweather from a lightning defeat. In the second round, Whitaker again unleashed a huge number of blows on his opponent, one of which even reached the off-guard referee.
In the ninth round, Mayweather managed to catch Whitaker, who was carried away by the attack, with a single, rapid, oncoming right cross. However, at this moment Pernell's powerful defensive skills were fully revealed. Because when Mayweather rushed to finish, he could not, in fact, even once accurately hit Whitaker, who was in a state of groggy. He put up a block, twisted his whole body, and avoided a large number of his opponent’s blows on his feet. As a result, three judges at the end of the fight determined Whitaker the winner with scores of 116-110, 117-111 and 116-112.
A year later, in March 1988, Whitaker fought for the world title for the first time. He tried to take the WBC lightweight title from Mexican boxer Jose Luis Ramirez. The battle took place in France. Almost all 12 rounds were the same. Pernell dodged and avoided his opponent's blows. Moving in his usual manner, behind the jab and smoothly moving around the ring not on his toes, but on his full feet, Whitaker Purnell significantly outplayed his opponent. But the judges had a different opinion. The announcement of the judges' decision came as a shock to many. Ramirez won by split decision.
A stunned Whitaker fell into the ring and was unable to hold back his tears. This was an absolutely brazen robbery.
But our hero had no choice but to move on. In February 1989, Whitaker entered the ring to challenge the world title under a different version - the IBF. This time, Pernell was able to simply declasse the excellent counter-puncher Greg Hogan, simultaneously knocking him down in the 6th round for the first knockdown of his career.
In the second defense of this title, Whitaker got even with Jose Luis Ramirez. This time their meeting took place in Pernell's hometown of Norfolk, and the Mexican was also declassed, which is clearly confirmed by the final score of the judges' notes - 120-108, 120-109, 117-111.
As a result of this fight, Whitaker also captured the WBC title.
In May 1990, Whitaker fought in the ring with the famous boxer Azuma Nelson, nicknamed the Professor. But Pernell defeated this tirelessly attacking opponent due to his style of movement, excellent reflexes and high speed of hand movement. The next fight took place in August 1990, Whitaker became the first absolute champion since the great boxer Roberto Duran in the lightweight category, knocking out Puerto Rican boxer Juan Nazario in the first round and winning the WBA belt.
Subsequently, Pernell had three fights to defend the championship belts: WBA, WBC and IBF, winning overwhelming victories over such serious boxers as Jorge Paez, Anthony Jones, Policarpo Diaz. All these boxers talked about Whitaker's incredible elusiveness. After this fight, Whitaker moved up to junior welterweight, leaving his earned world titles unclaimed.
So in July 1992, Pernell took the IBF belt from Colombian boxer Rafael Pineda. However, for the sake of a fight with Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez, Whitaker Pernell decided to give up this title and move up to welterweight.
To begin with, in order to get used to the new weight, Pernell clashed with a very serious fighter at that time (and now a famous trainer) - James "Buddy" McGirt, who held the WBC world title. For Whitaker, this fight was very difficult, since McGirt was famous for his high hand speed and excellent maneuverability. But nevertheless, Pernell won, albeit quite close, but a victory on points, after which the path to the fight with Chavez was open.
The meeting, expected by everyone, took place on September 10, 1993 in the state of Texas, the city of San Antonio. This meeting of boxers was arranged by Chavez’s promoter, Don King, and the fight, broadcast on the PPV system, collected a record 740,000 paid subscriptions at that time for all weight categories except heavyweight.
Chavez's earnings were $5 million, and Whitaker's were $3 million. By that time, Chavez had 87 wins and no losses or draws. But Whitaker silenced the many Latino fans packed into the packed Alamodome boxing arena. During the fight, he beat the idol of Mexican fans simply by choice. At the end of the fight, the resilient and exhausting Chavez was exhausted. He could barely move his legs and was inferior to the enemy even at close range in a power struggle.
Confident of his victory, Whitaker finished the fight with courage. However, the judges' decision shocked everyone, including the Mexican fans - the first judge gave the victory to Whitaker with a score of 115-113, the other two gave a draw with a score of 115-115. However, this time Whitaker only grinned, because everyone, even the Mexican Chavez, knew that he actually won this fight.
In subsequent defenses, he defeated opponents such as Santos Cardona, Buddy McGirt (in a rematch), Gary Jacobs and Jake Rodriguez in one-sided fights. In March 1995, he even made a successful foray into junior middleweight, defeating WBA champion Argentinean Julio Cesar Vazquez and immediately leaving the title he had won and returning to welterweight.
However, in 1996, the first visible problems appeared in Pernell's fights. Whitaker had two very difficult fights with Puerto Rican Wilfredo Rivera, as he was much superior in power and height. In the first fight, Whitaker won only by a split decision, and the second time by a unanimous, but very close verdict. By this time, Whitaker had a serious rival in the person of the young Oscar de la Hoya with great ambitions.
Oscar de la Hoya, a Mexican-American, already had superstar status and bore the nickname Golden Boy. He was the 1992 Olympic champion and world champion in the pros. Whitaker's fight with Oscar de la Hoya took place on April 12, 1997 in Las Vegas and was held under the slogan "Pound for pound." At a ratio of 3 to 1, Golden Boy was considered the favorite. The PPV broadcast was bought by 720,000 subscribers, which allowed the organizers to earn $28.8 million.
They also raised more than $5 million by selling tickets to the Thomas & Mack Center boxing arena. De la Hoya's earnings were $10 million, and Whitaker's were $4 million. The fight took place largely in a positional struggle, reminiscent of a game of chess players. The young Mexican-American, who was larger in size, could not suppress the resistance of the playful and nimble Whitaker.
In the third round, Whitaker was deducted a point for hitting his opponent with his head; in the ninth round, after hitting the Mexican-American de la Hoya with his left hand, a knockdown was counted out. However, after 12 rounds of an equal fight, all the judges gave the victory to Oscar de la Hoya. The score in this match was 115-111 and twice 116-110. However, disputes about this victory periodically arise even now, since the opinions of boxing experts, journalists, and ordinary boxing fans are divided.
After losing the world title, Pernell Whitaker's career went downhill. Problems with drugs and alcohol worsened, and failures in everyday life and personal life began to plague me. So in the fall of 1997, his fight took place with Russian Andrei Pestryaev. In this fight, Whitaker barely defeated Andrei Pestryaev, but the result of this fight was later canceled due to Pernell testing positive for cocaine.
In February 1999, a fight took place between Whitaker and star boxer, Puerto Rican Felix Trinidad. In this fight, Pernell suffered a crushing defeat on points, having been knocked down. He lost this fight, without any questions or doubts. This was the first fight he lost in his pro career. Whitaker last entered the ring in April 2001.
The fight took place against the usual Mexican middle peasant Carlos Bojorquez. In this fight, he broke his collarbone and was forced to withdraw from the fight at the beginning of the fourth round. And so, in the end, Pernell Whitaker, the Sweet Pea of the ring, the impossible-to-hit man who ruled the lightweight to welterweight divisions, ceased to exist in the ring. He left professional boxing, and a lot of problems with alcohol and drugs arose.
Already in August of that year, Whitaker was caught sneaking drugs into the courtroom where his car accident case was being heard. Then they gave him four years probation. Whitaker is later caught using cocaine again. And he is sentenced to 2 years and three months in prison.
A few months later, Pernell was caught bringing cocaine to a court hearing in connection with a car accident in which he was the culprit. At that time, Pernell was given a suspended sentence of 4 years. But later, our hero was again imprisoned for a term of 27 months for possession of cocaine. Also in his personal life, problems resulted in a divorce from his wife Rovanda, with whom Pernell had four children. In addition, such a lifestyle logically ended with Whitaker losing almost all the millions of dollars he earned in the ring. But in recent years, our hero has come to his senses somewhat and settled down.
At the end of 2005, Whitaker opened a boxing gym in Virginia. He personally trained boxers of various calibers. Among his students are such boxers as Joel Julio, Zab Judah, Paul Spadafora, Calvin Brock, Doreen Spivey.
In 2002, The Ring magazine ranked Pernell Whitaker as the tenth best boxer in the world over the past 80 years. In 2006, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) along with boxing greats Roberto Duran and Ricardo Lopez. Whitaker was also inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame (WBHOF).
It has long been noticed that the number ten, of course, contains some kind of invisible magic, as in any similar ratings, which include all the most important things on any possible topic and necessarily for all times... Therefore, when you get acquainted with this list, which includes includes a large number of outstanding fighters who did not receive the well-deserved reward and glory for the worthy work done in the ring; it is necessary to understand that any such rating will be largely arbitrary and does not pretend to be the ultimate truth. Any reader can have his own opinion, both on the ideal top ten of this kind, and on the legitimacy of including each individual fight in this list. So, what criteria were used to make our choice? And why was the time period chosen for historical analysis exactly seventy-five years? The main requirement for any fight with a questionable outcome in order to get into the final top ten was not so much the undoubted one-sidedness of the fight, not so much the great public outcry that was caused by a dubious judge's verdict, or the unprofessional work of the referee in the ring, which led to the defeat of one of the boxers , how much is the historical significance of the fight, in which third parties had a direct influence on its outcome. In this article, we will remember not just the largest and most unceremonious robberies, of which a truly impressive number have accumulated in the last year alone (Abril-Rios, Campilio-Cloud, and of course Bradley-Pacquiao), not just about fights in which one of the fighters lost by decision of the judge's verdict, despite total dominance in virtually every round (Maidana-Kotelnik, for example), or to the thoughtless (insane) actions of the referee, contrary to common sense, and most importantly to the letter of the boxing law (Starling-Molinares). All this is not enough to get on our short list. In the fights that found themselves here, suffering from a harsh and unjust system, the side invariably turned out to be a fighter who was considered a true figure in himself, by any standards (not Abril, with all due respect to him), who was a legend of the ring in relation to whom an undeniable crime was committed, and as a result, the defeat or draw that now appeared in his record looked like a huge cloudy spot, an eyesore, which in no way should have ended up there. If we return to the time period that we are considering here, it begins with the notorious crime committed by the judges in the distant forty-seventh, in relation to Jersey Joe Walcott, after a fifteen-rand confrontation with the legendary veteran Joe Louis. We will not consider earlier fights in which, according to the general opinion, an unfair refereeing decision was made, due to the lack of relevant video recordings in the said fights. So a significant part of the legends of the ring, and just good boxers who competed before Louis, can only rely on the insight and honesty of the outstanding boxing historians of the past era, who saw those times with their own eyes and painted in detail the shameful robberies of the past on paper...
10. Ken Buchanan - Roberto Duran
Where? When? Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, USA., 1972-06-26
At stake: WBA World Lightweight Title (Buchanan)
Result: Duran's victory by technical knockout in the thirteenth round
Victim: Ken Buchanan
Now few people will remember that in the seventies such a talented and original boxer as Kenny Buchanan shone in the ring. A native of the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, he had a fast, stinging jab, moved well around the ring, and his tall height for the lightweight division allowed Kenny to fight superbly from a long distance. Buchanan was never a puncher; by the end of his professional career, he had 27 knockouts in 61 fights. Nevertheless, the lack of a powerful blow never bothered Buchanan himself; he already had enough strengths to become a serious force, which would be difficult and even stupid not to take into account. In 1970, Buchanan received the right to a championship fight for the first time in his career. His opponent was two-time world champion and future hall of famer Ismael Laguna. By the time of the fight, Laguna was experiencing the peak of his career, he already had a victory over Puerto Rican boxing legend Carlos Ortiz and a draw in a fight with the Argentine defense wonder Nicolino Locci. To fight for the world crown, the brave Scottish Highlander was not afraid to go to the champion’s homeland in Puerto Rico. After eleven rounds of a bright, exhausting fight, Kenny was still inferior on the cards of all the judges, but in the twelfth round he managed to firmly shake the champion, and from that moment the fight went under his dictation. The next three rounds were dominated by Buchanan, which allowed him to score a shocking split-decision victory on the road. Two judges rightly considered that Buchanan was stronger 145-144 and 144-143, the latter, with the same advantage of one point, considered Laguna the winner, but Buchanan was no longer interested in this.
That victory provided Kenny with the honorary title of “Boxer of the Year” according to the BWAA (In the dispute for a similar magazine award, Ring Buchanan lost to Joe Frazier). Seventy-first Kenny discovered himself with a confident victory over Ruben Navarro, simultaneously winning the WBC world title, which, however, was soon deprived due to some formal decision of this organization. This was followed by a second victory in a rematch against Laguna, and after 9 months, the ill-fated fight finally took place against the undefeated Panamanian prospect Roberto Duran. The fight with Duran turned out to be truly eventful, both boxing and not so much. In the very first seconds of the fight, Duran managed to hit Kenny with a blow to the right, with both gloves Buchanan touched the canvas of the ring and a knockdown was counted out to him, Duran immediately rushed to finish, but Kenny did not look shocked and, a moment later, he met Duran with a powerful power blow and if behind Roberto, at that moment the ropes couldn’t have come at a better time; he would not have been able to avoid a knockdown. The subsequent rounds took place at a very high pace, and with alternating successes of both boxers, but Duran's advantage still steadily emerged. By the thirteenth round, the tension reached its climax. In the noise of the bubbling cauldron of Madison Square Garden, the music of the symphony orchestra was already difficult to discern, alternately performing, between rounds, either national Scottish music or melodies close to the heart of any Spanish-speaking inhabitant of the Earth. Duran slowly began to lose his nerves; at first, Duran tried to push Buchanan out of the ring, and when the risky venture failed, Duran, without hearing the gong (?) that announced the end of the round, fired a cannon shot into Buchanan’s groin area. Stunned by wild pain, Kenny falls off his feet. The Scot's angry seconds jump into the ring and drag the champion into his corner to try to bring him to his senses, but all their actions in advance are in vain, since referee Johnny LoBianco, for whom that fight, by the way, was the first championship in his career, is already proclaiming Roberto Duran new world lightweight champion...
By the time the fight was stopped, the cards of all the judges showed an advantage for Roberto Duran, according to my own calculations, 8 rounds out of 13 remained for Roberto, 4 for Buchanan and one more round can be called a draw, and this is the only circumstance due to which the fight between Kenny and Roberto was not awarded an unofficial called the Millennium Heist. However, after the fight there were those who really believed that the blow that decided the outcome of the fight was completely legitimate and hit Kenny Buchanan’s torso. And what’s more, it was delivered simultaneously with the blow of the gong (in fact, the blow was delivered directly to the liver, and maybe even a minute before the gong announced a minute break). In response to this, I invite each reader to make his own personal choice regarding the fairness of the verdict.
Roberto's famous kick to the liver
What then? After an imaginary knockout from Roberto Duran, Kenny, in six rounds and with all honors, retires the same Krlos Ortiz, and then for the second time in his career he will win the British champion title (an honorable achievement at that time), defeating another colorful character, future world champion Jimmy Watt, and at the very end of his career Kenny Buchanan will become the European champion. It would be the last major achievement of the best boxer in Scotland's history. In 2001, Ken Buchanan, considered one of the greatest boxers in all of Britain, will be inducted into the hall of fame. Everyone knows the further history of Duran much better. The “stone fists” of the Panamanian monster will be a threat to the entire lightweight division for another good 7 years, during which Duran will be able to establish himself as probably the greatest fighter in the history of the weight. Well, in the eighties, Roberto Duran would make a crazy foray into the welterweight division for an epic fight against Ray Leonard, from which he would emerge victorious, inflicting the first defeat of Leonard in his career. And after his legendary revenge against Leonard, Duran will descend into the very heat of hell (he will rise to the middle weight category to visit Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns and Iron Barkley) where, amid the blazing fire and the opening abyss of heaven, he will get himself the WBC championship belt and will forever secure his special place in boxing history.
9. Bernard Hopkins - Jermaine Taylor I
Where? When? MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA., 2005-07-16
At stake: Undisputed world middleweight title: WBA/WBC/IBF/WBO(Hopkins)
Result: Taylor wins by split decision (115-113 twice, Taylor and 116-112 Hopkins)
Victim: Bernard Hopkins
A win over Jermain Taylor would allow Bernard Hopkins to set a new record for most world title defenses in any weight class, surpassing Joe Louis's previous record of exactly 20 unbeaten fights, albeit with a slight caveat. Jermaine Taylor, a talented prospect, started the fight successfully, but failed in the second half of the fight. Everything that happened in this fight, starting from the 5th round, was nothing more than a demonstration of the highest boxing skills; in essence, Bernard Hopkins taught Taylor a boxing lesson that he had to learn once and for all. Perhaps, if Taylor had drawn the right conclusions after his confrontations with the executioner, his career would not have followed such a sad scenario.
Unofficial calculations: 2 respondents somewhere saw Taylor’s victory, two more counted a draw and 17 experts thought that Bernard Hopkins won the fight.
What then? Time puts everything in its place... After being robbed again in a rematch with Jermain Taylor, Bernard still had grandiose boxing achievements ahead of him, including victories over such ring mastodons as Ronald Wright and Antonio Tarver, a humiliating defeat of another star ward of godfather Bob and Top RANK Kelly Pavlik, which at the same time greatly reduced the price of the lanky native of Youngstown and won championship belts in the light heavyweight category, also brought Bernard the title of the oldest world champion in boxing history. Jermain Taylor's career went downhill after heavy knockout defeats, all from the same Kelly Pavlik, Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham. Now poor Jermaine is trying to get back into the ring, fighting such peculiar characters as Raul Munez (22-15-1, 16 KO), and while it is difficult to say anything definitive about his future prospects, let's just wish him luck.
8. Thomas Hearns - Ray Leonard II
Where? When? Ceasers Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA., 1989-06-12
At stake: Unified world super-middleweight title: WBC (Leonard), WBO (Hearns)
Result: Draw (113-112 Leonard, 113-112 Hearns, 112-112 draw)
Victim: Thomas Hearns
The rematch between Tommy Hearns and Ray Leonard is rightfully considered one of the best fights among those that were never awarded the honorary “Fight of the Year” award by Ring magazine (in this regard, the Arguello-Pryer, Tony-Jirov confrontations are also remembered and the first fight between Morales and Pacquiao), then the authoritative magazine preferred him to the uncompromising carnage staged by Duran and Barkley, but the second fight between Hearns and Leonard was definitely no worse. Before this fight, bookmakers' odds were 3 to 1 for Leonard to win. And, in general, the fight turned out to be even, however, in this situation there is one significant but that can outweigh any other arguments in defense of the official verdict. Hearns sent Leonard to the canvas twice and that should have been enough to win. And it would have been enough if judge Delby Shirley had not scored the last round 10-8 in favor of Ray Leonard, which ultimately turned into a final draw, both on his own cards and in the final result.
Unofficial KO Magazine score: 115-112 Hearns
What then? Due to the fact that, by all accounts, Hearns won the second fight, there was talk about the possibility of a third fight, which would finally put all questions to rest, putting an end to the history of the rivalry between Tommy and Ray, but the negotiations reached a dead end, since Tommy could no longer hold the weight, and Leonard was not satisfied with the fight in the light heavyweight category. And this epoch-making clash was limited to two battles, ending on a parity basis...
P.S. Anyone who finds Marvin Hagler in the photo gets 300 points for their attentiveness...
7. Ken Norton - Muhammad Ali III
Where? When? Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, USA., 1976-09-28
At stake: Absolute World Heavyweight Champion: WBA/WBC (Ali)
Result: Ali wins by unanimous decision (8-7 twice and 8-6, all in favor of Ali)
Victim: Ken Norton
I have never understood those people who, with incredible persistence, continue to call Ken Norton nothing less than a paper champion. His third fight against the main astronaut of world boxing was perhaps the brightest in the grandiose trilogy. And, of course, after fifteen rounds of the fight, Norton, always the most inconvenient opponent for Ali, deserved a decision in his favor. Upset by the terrible judge's verdict, Norton could not contain his emotions and, covering his face with a towel, burst into tears right in the ring. That day, "Black Hercules" was supposed to win the world title, but in the end he had to wait a little...
Unofficial UPI score: 8-7 Norton (and that’s all!?)
What then? Ali, with varied results, will have several more championship fights, after which he will end his career in order to take a well-deserved place in the boxing hierarchy next to Joe Louis and Sugar Ray Robinson, and in relation to Ken Norton, such a rare highest boxing justice will happen, and on March 29, 1978 year, as a result of complex legal transactions (due to the fact that champion belt holder Leon Spinks will prefer revenge against Ali to mandatory defense), he will receive the WBC championship title after a victorious fight with Jimmy Young, which previously had qualifying status...
6. George Foreman - Shannon Briggs
Where? When? Taj Majal Hotel& Casino, Atlantic city, New Jersey, USA., 1997-11-22
At stake: Lineal World Heavyweight Championship (Foreman)
Result: Shannon Briggs wins by majority decision (117-113 and 116-112 Briggs, 114-114 draw)
Victim: George Foreman
After his knockout victory over Michael Moorer, which allowed George Foreman to gain fame as the oldest champion in the history of the heavyweight division, and indeed in the history of boxing in general, he always answered the same question about ending his boxing career. Big George said that he would hang up his gloves only if he lost. Who knew that the defeat that sent the honored grandfather to Big George's retirement would be ensured by the New Jersey State Athletic Commission, of course, with the direct support of the referee's table. 25-year-old prospect Shannon Briggs was chosen as a kind of mission on whose shoulders a heavy burden fell the difficult responsibility of directly implementing the Napoleonic plans of various athletic commissions into reality. However, with the task set before him, Shannon-The Cannon gave up, completely flying in the battle with George in at least 8, and most likely 9 rounds. In this fight, Foreman threw 230 jabs through Shannon’s leaky block, 157 (68%!!! The figure for a heavyweight, just like for any other division, is phenomenal) of which hit the target.
Unofficial score by Harold Liederman: 116-112, Forman
What then? Eternal glory... for Foreman, of course. And Briggs seriously risked remaining the only heavyweight in history who, being a linear champion (even though he lost this title during his first defense), never officially became a world champion, but in November two thousand and six, completely losing during the fight Belarusian Sergei Lyakhovich, knocked him out at the end of the 12th round, winning the WBO championship belt (And, by the way, lost it again at the first defense).
5. Lennox Lewis - Evander Holyfield I
Where? When? Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, USA., 1999-03-13
At stake: Absolute world heavyweight champion title: WBA/IBF (Holyfield), WBC (Lewis)
Result: Draw (116-113 Lewis, 115-113 Holyfield, 115-115 draw)
Victim: Lennox Lewis
The result of the first heavyweight unification bout since the now mythical confrontation between Muhammad Ali and Ernie Terrell was not without a peculiar irony, which was that at the end of the 12-round fight, the only judge in this trio was from Britain (the other two were representatives of the USA and South Africa, respectively), were listed as a very dubious 115-115... Lennox in this fight threw 613 punches, 348 (57%) of which reached the target, while Holyfield had 385 thrown punches and only 130 (34 %) of them hit the target... Lennox confidently ruled the ring, only occasionally giving Evander the initiative, but soon immediately returning it back. Even before the final bell sounded, Lennox raised his hand victoriously, the same one with which he carried out powerful power blows over and over again, cooling Holyfield’s attacking ardor. But after ten minutes, the disappointed man falls into the arms of his second...
Unofficial Associatid Press score: 117-111, Lewes
What after? Well, then came the long-awaited rematch in which Lennox confirmed his superiority again and this time avoided unpleasant surprises from the judges, finally receiving two other green belts in addition to the green belt he already had, albeit with a delay of several months...
4. Jersey Joe Walcott - Joe Louis I
Where? When? Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, USA., 1947-12-05
At stake: Absolute World Heavyweight Champion (Louis)
Result: Louis wins by split decision (8-6 and 9-6 Louis, 7-6 Walcott)
Victim: Jersey Joe Walcott
Still, every boxer has an expiration date... Moreover, it has its own, not always depending on the numbers written in all kinds of documents. This thesis can best be confirmed, thereby turning it into an axiom, by a duel that took place back in 1947. By the time of the Jersey fight, Joe Walcott had managed to celebrate his thirty-third birthday and, thus, was the same age as the champion (in fact, Louis was even 4 months younger than Walcott), but at the same time he was still preparing for the main period in his boxing life, while Joe Louis' best years were already behind him. Walcott was an outstanding defensive master, his defensive performances repeatedly delighting packed stadiums. And this time, born Arnold Raymond Cream, who took his nickname in honor of the legendary middleweight and one of the first black world champions Joe Walcott (the prefix after the name of the state was added so as not to confuse the two boxers), added a significant makeweight in the form of two cannons blows that sent the great champion to the floor of the ring in the first and fourth rounds. However, the judge's verdict was inexorable.
Unofficial calculations: 21 journalists considered Walcott the winner, 10 (!) saw Louis as a victory and one counted a draw
What then? Joseph Louis Barrow, in the eleventh round of a rematch against Jersey Joe Walcott, would confirm his reputation as the most feared puncher of the first half of the 20th century, knocking out Walcott with a mighty series of 5 blows, and thereby proving his claim to the longest reign in heavyweight history. division. Well, Walcott, after the real defeat from Louis, still had the most important achievements ahead of him. At the age of thirty-seven, he defeated Ezzard Charz on his third try, knocking him out in the seventh round with a powerful left hook. This victory brought him the title of world champion, and the oldest at that time.
3. Pernell Whitaker - Jose Luis Ramirez I
Where? When? Stade de Levallois, Levallois-Perret, Hauts-de-Seine, France., 1988-03-12
At stake: WBC lightweight world title (Ramirez)
Result: Ramirez wins by split decision (118-113 and 116-115 Ramirez, 117-113 Whitaker)
Victim: Pernell Whitaker
When Los Angeles Olympic gold medalist Pernell Whitaker arrived in France in March 1988 for the first world title fight of his professional career, he could hardly have imagined that he would become a direct participant in a fight at the end of which the judges would barely rule perhaps the worst verdict in boxing history. In terms of the degree of shamelessness, that robbery can only be compared with the recent fight between Pacquiao and Bradley. And the stories with the immediate reasons for the appearance of such judicial decisions are surprisingly similar. The chronology of events leading up to this fight was as follows: Don King and Jose Sulaiman had already given their go-ahead for a unification fight between Ramirez, who owned the belt of his organization, and the then holder of the WBA championship belt, Julio Cesar Chavez. Suleiman had arranged to air the unification bout between the two Mexicans on ABC Sports, and Ramirez's risky fight against Pernell Utaker was not in his plans. According to numerous testimonies, including from David Downes himself (Director of ABC Sports at that time), Suleiman tried as best he could to prevent the fight from taking place, but a little later he softened his position and decided to act by other methods.
The manager of the future world champion in four weight categories, Shelley Finkel, said that right at the weigh-in, WBC official Piero Pini approached his ward and demanded that Whitaker and his team sign papers stating that if he won, Whitaker would be obliged hold the next fight against Chavez, on any terms offered to him. As Finkel said, after this episode, everyone at Purnell's headquarters felt uneasy. The one-sided and mocking fight was won by Whitaker easily and naturally, and as easy as this fight was for Pernell, so strong was his disappointment after the shocking verdict. After the fight, Pernell's coach Lou Duva accused Jose Sulaiman and the WBC of corruption, as a result of which he received a lawsuit in his name, and a little later, albeit reluctantly, he admitted that he did not have enough evidence for such statements...
Unofficial score for The magazine Boxing 88: 118-111 Whitaker (and that's still a good score for Ramirez)
What then? Then the aforementioned fight between Ramirez and Chavez took place, in which the latter won a predictable, albeit very difficult victory, and the story of the Pernell Whitaker robberies was just beginning.
2. Manny Pacquiao - Timothy Bradley
Where? When? MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA., 2012-06-09
On the liney: WBO world welterweight title (Pacquiao)
Result: Bradley wins by split decision (115-113 twice, Bradley and 115-113 Pacquiao)
Victim: Manny Pacquiao
This boxer retired from the sport with a brilliant career behind him and a great many titles in different weight categories. Much to the regret of sports fans, the former champion has serious problems with drugs, alcohol and, of course, in this case, with the legislation of his country. There were also troubles in the family. But with all this, Pernell Whitaker forever inscribed his name in the history of world boxing. Let's talk about it in more detail.
general information
The legendary black athlete was born on January 2, 1978 in Norfolk, Virginia, USA. During his professional career, the fighter fought 45 fights, of which he lost only three. Pernell Whitaker boxed left-handed.
Career
During his sports life, the American was able to beat almost all elite fighters in divisions ranging from 135 to 154 pounds. But with all this, the champion’s path did not begin as successfully as that of his national team colleagues Holyfield and Taylor. Frequent injuries to his leg and left hand did not allow him to quickly advance in the international professional rankings.
After holding several fights, Pernell Whitaker was able to develop his own exclusive style of fighting, which was distinguished by a certain degree of shockingness and foppishness. For this, the public loved him very much, and the judges did not respect him too much.
At the end of 1986, the boxer managed to win all 11 tested fights. Moreover, in the last fight he won in an openly mocking style, completely outboxing Alfred Lane in all rounds. At the same time, as the battle progressed, Pernell was able to deliver a brilliant blow with a 360-degree turn.
First title
In his 12th fight, Whitaker entered the ring to fight the legendary champion. The current champion was able to knock down the challenger in the first three minutes. However, later in the fight, Pernell was able to seize the initiative and convincingly win all the remaining rounds, thanks to which he became the owner of the North American championship belt.
In one of the episodes of the confrontation, Pernell Whitaker, whose photo is given below, even managed to pull off his opponent’s underpants, which once again confirmed his extraordinary and, one might even say, defiant style of behavior in the ring.
Unsuccessful voyage
Whitaker arrived in the French capital to challenge the WBA title with its owner Jose Luis Ramirez, who had more than 100 fights in the pro ring.
The American began his game by regularly fooling the Mexican from the very beginning with shots flying at different angles. The challenger also managed to score points with his lightning-fast counterattacks. But in the middle of the fight, Pernell Whitaker suffered a fracture in his left arm, which is why he lost the ability to strike often. The boxer began to be forced into a clinch more and more often, although he still hit his opponent more often. However, after completing all the allotted rounds, two judges gave preference to the Mexican, who thus kept his title intact.
Continuing the fight
Returning to his homeland, the fighter continued performing in the lightweight division. His target was IBF champion Greg Haugen. The fight turned out to be bright, spectacular and full of interesting events, including a knockdown of the champion in the 6th round. It is worth noting that this was the most significant fight in our hero’s career, in which he became a champion.
The main events
Having the championship belt in his piggy bank, Pernell continued his victorious march, defeating Ramirez, Galvan, and Nelson. And after defeating Nazario, Whitaker became the owner of all lightweight titles.
On September 10, 1993, Pernell fought Chavez and was able to achieve a draw in their confrontation. After this, having had several triumphant fights, Whitaker moved to junior middleweight, where he won the sixth belt in his career, and then dropped back to the lighter division.
Sunset
1996 is the date that marked the end of American hegemony. Pernell Whitaker, whose track record commanded the respect of his rivals, began to openly lose his gains. He beats Rivera Wilfredo in a very controversial manner and has a tough win over the Cuban Hurtado. And after that, the fight that the public was eagerly awaiting took place - “Pernell Whitaker - Oscar De La Hoya.” In this fight, the American lost his title to a younger contender, and during the fight our hero looked rather faded. And in 1999, he was literally declassed by Felix Trinidad.
In 2001, the former champion was caught in possession of drugs during a trial regarding a traffic accident in which he was involved. And after some time, the athlete ended up in jail for 27 months for using cocaine.
Pernell Whitaker photography
Record: 40-3-1-1 (17 KOs)
“He was very hard to hit, he was a southpaw, but I still beat him,” said Oscar De La Hoya, who took the WBC welterweight title from Pernell Whitaker in 1997, beating him by a wide unanimous decision. . However, some experts and observers, looking at that fight over time with greater objectivity, believe that it was much more equal. Well, the majority still adheres to the point of view that Whitaker did enough to win. In his usual style, Whitaker demanded a rematch, and Oscar agreed. And in his usual style, De La Hoya, when the deadline came, refused. He knew better. His promoter Bob Arum knew too. They saw an aging and declining Whitaker, who had been on the floor twice before rallying and knocking out Diobelis Hurtado earlier that year. They saw a man with a big name ready to lose. But Whitaker proved in his final career title defense that he was not ready. He, evading attacks, moved around the ring, harassing Oscar with an undulating jab, in addition sending Oscar to a controversial knockdown in the 9th round, and, despite his usual clowning, he won. Arum and Oscar reasonably believed that if they agreed to a rematch, Whitaker could go further than he did in the first fight, although there was a chance that this would not happen. But that's what Pernell Whitaker's entire career has been like.
In a career spanning the years 1984 to 2001, Pernell Whitaker beat nearly every top fighter in the 135- to 154-pound weight classes. However, his boxing life did not begin with fame and public attention, as did his Olympic teammates Evander Holyfield, Meldrick Taylor and Mark Breeland. Leg injuries and frequent injuries to his left hand hampered his development and advancement in the professional rankings. After several fights in the lightweight division, Whitaker found his key to success - amazing defense that hypnotizes opponents and spectators. In December 1986, he had 11 wins with 6 knockouts in 11 fights. The latest in that series was a humiliating 10-round win against Alfredo Lane, with Whitaker winning every round and infuriating boxing fans with a jumping 360-degree right hook. In his next fight, Pernell masterfully outboxed the highly-rated Roger Mayweather, winning the NABF lightweight title in just his twelfth professional fight. Despite the fact that Mayweather dropped him in the first round, Pernell subsequently won all the rounds, and in one episode he even pulled off his opponent’s underpants in the clinch, demonstrating his bright and slightly foppish style, because of which many judges tried to judge the rounds in favor of his rivals.
Best of the day
But Whitaker did not allow this to be done. His excellent defense prevented any fighter from landing two clean hits in a row, and opponents had to catch Whitaker's counter attacks throughout the fight. He finished his next three fights with early knockouts, including winning the USBA belt from Miguel Santana by TKO in the sixth round.
But his next fight will be remembered as one of the worst decisions in boxing history. Whitaker traveled to Paris to face WBC champion Jose Luis Ramirez, who had a record of one hundred wins and six defeats. Whitaker began to fool the powerful puncher from the start. He threw punches at impossible angles and scored points with quick combinations in return. Midway through the fight, Whitaker broke his left arm. This prevented him from hitting as often as before, and he went into the clinch more often. Thanks to his excellent reflexes, he continued to land more hits than Ramirez, and most spectators believed that the American won the fight. “I beat him outright!” said Pernell. His coach Lou Duva thought the same. But two out of three judges cast their votes in favor of the Mexican. Falling to the floor in despair, Whitaker knew he had won, but the judges denied him the victory, possibly due to his foppery antics in the fight.
Returning to the United States, Whitaker continued his journey in the lightweight division. He set his sights on IBF champion Greg Haugen. This title fight is known as one of his best performances. He constantly countered and even sent the champion to the floor in the 6th round for the first time in his career. Hogen stopped throwing punches, fearing a knockdown, while Whitaker got him with his lightning-fast strikes. At the end of the fight, the announcement of the judges' notes was just a formality - Pernell Whitaker won by unanimous decision.
Finishing what he started, Whitaker challenged Jose Luis Ramirez to a fight in the United States. This time Pernell brought the fight to victory. He had no difficulty defending against his opponent's powerful punches and hitting Ramirez throughout the fight. Once again, the judges had no choice but to give him the victory, awarding him the IBF and WBC lightweight belts. Then there was a third-round TKO win over Martin Galvan in a non-title fight in 1989, followed by two successful title defenses in 1990. That was a brilliant dominance over Fred Pendleton, and then another stunning display of boxing class against featherweight legend Azuma Nelson. .
“Box him like you can’t breathe,” George Benton told Whitaker before the fight. And he followed these instructions - with success. As the fight went on, Nelson landed fewer and fewer hits, and as with most of the American's fights, the decision was clear: 116-114, 115-113, 116-111 - unanimous, Pernell Whitaker.
With his next fight, Whitaker made history by becoming the first fighter since Roberto Duran to unify the lightweight belts, and he did it in impressive fashion, eliminating WBA champion Juan Nazario in the first round. After this victory, Whitaker became one of the strongest boxers in the world, and at that time only one person could challenge him - 140-pound champion Julio Cesar Chavez, who knocked out Pernell's friend Meldrick Taylor, winning the WBC and IBF belts.
Whitaker continued to defend his undisputed title, defeating Anthony Jones, Pauly Diaz and former IBF junior lightweight champion Jorge Paz in succession. Pernell won the first one by a clear margin, winning every round, but he had a very good fight with Paz, after which Jorge Paz said: “I can’t believe this guy is so hard to hit! My respect…". In 1992, Whitaker won a non-title fight against Harold Brazier and immediately vacated the title to move forward. Then there was a first-round knockout against Jerry Smith, and in the next fight, Pernell predictably defeated Rafael Pineda in a one-sided fight, becoming champion in the new weight and taking the IBF belt, which had previously been held by his friend Meldrick Taylor and Julio Cesar Chavez.
Meanwhile, voices were heard louder and louder, demanding a fight with Chavez, but nothing happened. In 1992, Whitaker knocked out Benny Baez in the first round en route to a third-weight title fight. Whitaker's opponent in the championship fight was Buddy McGirt: a tough and dangerous boxer who held the WBC belt and was the universally recognized welterweight champion. Whitaker, despite being inferior in size, retained his speed and his abilities for which he was famous in the lightweight category. McGirt tried to collect himself, tried to do something, as others had tried before him, when it was almost impossible to land an accurate blow. McGirt continued to look for a way to victory until the very end, but it was Whitaker who walked out of the ring, taking away the championship belt and his fifth title in the third weight class. And again, voices were heard from different sides demanding a fight between Whitaker and Chavez. The victory over McGirt and Chavez's victories over Taylor, Haugen and the last one over Hector Camacho elevated both to the top of the boxing world, where there is only room for one...
Finally, the fight between Julio Cesar Chavez [“J.C. Superstar"] and Pernell ["Sweet Pea"] Whitaker became a reality. Chavez said: “I don’t like his style. He runs from the enemy. I will punish him very severely." In response, the cocky Whitaker replied: “I like to throw a lot of punches, and I’m not looking for a knockout - I like to make fools of my opponents, I like to entertain the crowd!” They both spoke as differently as they behaved differently from each other in the ring. Chavez had a record of 87 victories and was aiming for a 100-fight winning streak. Whitaker had 32 wins and 1 loss, which didn't look all that impressive, but he did have victories over the lightweight elite and the best welterweight in the world in Buddy McGirt. The fight contract limited the fighters' weight to 147 pounds; At the weigh-in, Chavez pulled at 145 and Whitaker at 147.
On September 10, 1993, Julio Cesar Chavez and Pernell Whitaker entered the ring to find out who was the strongest pound-for-pound boxer in the world. Chavez looked better in some of the early rounds, but when Benton convinced Whitaker to "push up a little bit," Whitaker did so, and Chavez became much more difficult to fight. He hit Whitaker in the hips below the belt and scored points with hard body shots, but most of the time he just couldn't reach the evasive Whitaker. Pernell began to break the rules in response, paying back his debts with interest - the referee refused to warn Whitaker. It was even more surprising when the boisterous crowd cheering for Chavez fell silent as the Mexican was edged out by the unstriking Whitaker, whose lead in the final rounds had been fairly obvious to most observers. When the final bell sounded, the judges' decision seemed clear to Whitaker and his fans. But that was not the case. It was shameful. Of course, the fight was not one-sided, like Whitaker’s previous victories, Chavez was more successful in the fight with him than anyone before, but still, the victory should have gone to Whitaker. One judge gave 115-113 in favor of Whitaker, the other two – 115-115... This decision once again discredited boxing, and the press brought down a wave of criticism on the judges of the fight. The biggest fight in boxing was ruined by poor refereeing.
This time Whitaker took the judges' decision quite calmly. “The main thing is that I know, and all people know, who really won!” - Pernell grimaced with a smile. Chavez did not look so calm and confident after the fight. He walked out of the ring knowing, as his fans knew, that he really shouldn't have 87-0 on his record anymore. Unfortunately, the final victory was stolen from Whitaker to go to Frankie Randall, the boxer who would send Chavez to the floor and win a unanimous decision the following year. But Whitaker himself was still on the rise... In 1994, he faced Santos Cardona, making him look like an inept and weak fighter, winning almost every round of the fight. Whitaker's defense was so impressive that Cardona only landed about 30 punches the entire fight.
And then there was a re-fight with McGirt. Whitaker's actions showed bravado and carelessness too early, for which he paid, being knocked down in the second round. Throughout the fight, Whitaker avoided exchanging blows and worked mostly on retreats. Victory again with a solid advantage.
Once again, Purnell is looking to the next division. Many critics said he was too small for the junior middleweight division (up to 69.853 kg), and a guy like champion Terry Norris could easily handle him. Whitaker selects the WBA champion, the well-trained Argentine southpaw Julio Cesar Vazquez. Vazquez's record includes 53 wins and one loss, and he hasn't lost in a long time. Whitaker corrects this omission. Finding himself on the floor in the 5th round, he nevertheless continues to slash, in his stunning manner fooling the Argentine in close combat. A confident victory on points and a sixth championship title...
He is vacating the middleweight belt to drop back down to welterweight and focus on fighting there. Whitaker immediately debunked rumors of a possible meeting with Roy Jones: “It sounds ridiculous! He weighs 168 pounds." In 1995, he defended his title twice against Gary Jacobs and Jake Rodriguez, defeating both by good margins.
1996 is remembered by many as the beginning of the end of the Pernell Whitaker legend. In his first title defense that year he was up against a very tough contender, Wilfredo Rivera. Rivera was at least 6 feet tall, making Whitaker look like a toddler in comparison. And for the first time in his career, he looked unconvincing in battle. Whitaker started well, but gradually it became clear that his readiness to fight left much to be desired. He looks slow, aged, poorly calculates the timing and distance of a shot, and misses an unusual amount. The long-armed Puerto Rican often lands heavy punches, and Whitaker tries to land more punches to control the fight. It seems as if there was a sensation, but the judges still give the victory to Whitaker. Winner of a highly controversial split decision victory - maybe now he knows how Chavez and Ramirez felt... Reckoning? Maybe.
Five months later, Whitaker climbs back into the ring to dispel any doubts about his form and abilities. This time he looks much better, but still noticeably falls short of his usual level. Rivera drops him to the canvas with a body shot in the fifth and it looks like he's going to get Pernell this time, but Whitaker counters with a left hand in his best style - Rivera on the floor. Wilfredo gets up, but Whitaker is well protected and makes successful attacks over and over again. Another split decision in favor of the legend, but this time he looked more confident.
But it is no longer Whitaker who attracts the attention of the entire boxing world. The new star is Oscar De La Hoya. "Golden Boy" is undefeated at 21-0 and looks like he can beat anyone. He destroyed Chavez in 4 rounds to win the WBC junior welterweight title and now has his sights set on Whitaker's crown. Pernell takes on the challenge easily, but he still has Cuban Diobelis Hurtado to beat.
On January 24, 1997, he defended his title for the eighth time, entering the ring against Hurtado. Now Whitaker looks terrible. He appears slightly bloated, slow, tired and exhausted. A sharp right hand sends him to the floor in the first round. He gets up and fights Hurtado for five more rounds with varying success until he is overtaken by the Cuban's left hook. Knockdown. Whitaker's abilities are fading - he is losing to a man who would hardly have matched him before. By the eleventh round, Hurtado has a solid advantage, and it seems that he has already achieved the impossible - taking the title from Whitaker in the ring. Suddenly a heavy backhand finds its mark. He hurt Hurtado and Pernell feels it. He continues to throw hard left hands until the Cuban's body hangs lifeless on the ropes. The title and lucrative fight with De La Hoya were saved at the last moment, but more and more people who saw the fight were wondering what the faster and punchier “Golden Boy” could do to Whitaker in such a state? The fight is yet to take place, but it seems as if everything has already been decided in advance, and Oscar has defeated another champion of previous years...
But Whitaker still has one last surprise to give to the boxing world. He showed De La Hoya the true meaning of "sweet science"! Left, right, above, below Oscar Whitaker hits him, opening bleeding and causing bruises. Without a doubt, Oscar held his own against Whitaker better than anyone before, landing quite a few powerful punches. The results of 116-110 (twice) and 115-111 in favor of De La Hoya are outrageous, although they were predictable before the fight. Oscar promised but did not give a rematch, and Pernell was left without a title in one of the most talent-rich divisions. Attempts to organize a fight with Ike Quartey were unsuccessful, and Whitaker met with Russian boxer Andrei Pestryaev. He outboxed the Russian, but as a result, the victory was taken away from him when, after the fight, a test for the use of prohibited drugs gave a positive result. Regular cocaine use has been proven.
After some time had passed, Whitaker decided to make another attempt to capture the championship. This time he chose IBF champion Felix Trinidad. A prolific puncher, he was on the verge of fighting De La Hoya, and the fight with Whitaker was a serious risk for him. The fight took place in early 1999, and it was initially obvious that the veteran, who had lost his speed and his reflexes, was unlikely to be able to do anything against the larger, younger, faster and punching Trinidad. “Tito” sent his opponent to the floor in the third round and continued to punish him for his mistakes in the most severe way for the rest of the time, while Whitaker courageously tried to knock out his opponent. The declaration of a landslide victory for Trinidad on points at the end of the bout was not necessary. Sadly, Whitaker suffered a defeat the likes of which only his opponents have suffered so far, and it happened in a fight that could have been the point of returning to world glory for the boxer. “Everybody knows I won,” Whitaker said, but it was already clear that it was all over. He showed only glimpses of his former talent against Trinidad, being a punching bag most of the time. It wasn't long before Whitaker faced Carlos Bojorquez at 154 pounds. He fought until the 4th round when he lost by TKO due to an injury sustained in the fight. “I’m done,” Pernell said after the fight.
In the end, Pernell Whitaker, the impossible-to-get-together phantom who ruled the lightweight to welterweight divisions, no longer existed in the ring. He retired from boxing, a ghost of his past self, and his future is now shrouded in fog. Unfortunately, drug and alcohol addiction, problems of a domestic and personal nature - all this is hardly a successful continuation for a man who has done so much for boxing during his career, thanks to which he will definitely remain in history as one of the greatest.
Note: In August 2001, Whitaker was caught bringing cocaine into his trial for a car accident. Then Pernell got off with a suspended sentence of 4 years. He was later caught again for cocaine abuse, and this time was sentenced to 27 months in prison.
Pernell Whitaker was a unique boxer. Nature did not reward him with outstanding dimensions, physical strength and power. He couldn't even be called a mid-range puncher. But, on the other hand, Whitaker had truly phenomenal reflexes, cat-like agility and unique boxing skills that could not be honed with just the most grueling training. In most fights, inferior to his opponents in height and other linear dimensions, and often also in weight, strength and power, Pernell made them look like complete incompetents, unable to inflict any significant damage on him. And at this time, he swaggered and swaggered as best he could, demonstrating fantastic tricks not only in his favorite defensive actions, but also in attack. Some boxing fans considered Whitaker's style not very spectacular and sometimes the judges were biased towards him, but many specialists, experts, analysts and journalists invariably paid and continue to pay tribute to his talent.
Pernell Whitaker
(40-4-1, 17 KOs)
Born January 2, 1964.
Achievements:
Olympic champion 1984 and silver medalist of the 1982 World Championship in lightweight. IBF (1989-1992), WBC (1989-1992) and WBA (1990-1992) lightweight champion, IBF (1992-1993) junior welterweight champion, WBC (1993-1997) welterweight champion, WBA champion (1995) junior middleweight. The best boxer of 1989 according to The Ring magazine, a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) and the World Boxing Hall of Fame (WBHOF).
Statistics of fights for the world title: 19-3-1, 4 KOs
Loading...