#PernellWhitaker pic.twitter.com/IZv3IQOo2f Pernell Whitaker, a former boxing champion and Olympic medalist, has died after he was hit by a car in Virginia Beach. He had up to 500 amateur fights but finished with 214 amateur fights winning with 201 and 91 of them knockouts. Boxing legend Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker dies in Virginia Beach accident WAVY TV 10 66K views 3 years ago EXCLUSIVE Pernell Whitaker: I'M The GREATEST Defensive Fighter EVER!! After Whitakers death, his son Domonique took to Facebook to announce his fathers passing. The late boxer had an average height of 5 feet 6 inches or 1.68 meters and weighs around 70 kg. Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker went from success to struggling. In January, 1997, Whitaker put his title on the line against Cuban fighter Diosbelys Hurtado. Kathy Duva, the chief executive of Main Events, which promoted Whitakers fights, recalled telephone conversations between Whitaker and her husband, Dan, the president of Main Events, who died in 1996. Who has the edge? 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. "He was far from a perfect person and a pain in the ass at times, but I still loved him. They had four children together: Dominique, the late Pernell Jr., Dantavious, and Devon. Whitaker, who made his professional debut on ABC with several of his Olympic teammates at Madison Square Garden in New York and eventually became a staple on HBO, moved up to junior welterweight in 1992 and outpointed Rafael Pineda to win a 140-pound world title. Devon and Tiara, while Pernell Jr died in 2015 at the age of 31 following a battle with cancer. CNN Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker, considered one of the greatest lightweight boxers of all time, died Sunday after he was hit by a vehicle in Virginia, police said. Im truly lost for words to hear Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker is no longer with us. But in a fight that many observers thought Whitaker had won easily, two judges called it a draw and a third voted for Whitaker, leaving the fight ruled a draw. American boxing legend, Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker died at the age of 55 Sunday after being struck by a car in Virginia Beach. He then added the vacant WBC & The Ring belts by avenging his loss to Ramirez on August 20. But since we cant seem to keep Pete out of the boxing ring, I guess this is the best place.. 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. The fight secured Whitaker the WBC, IBF and WBA lightweight titles. Whitaker continued on to dominate for the next few years, defending his welterweight title against Santos Cardona on April 9, 1994 and in a rematch against McGirt on October 1, 1994. Pernell Whitaker obituary | Boxing | The Guardian Main Events was promoting a card at the Virginia Beach Pavilion Convention Center. It was a blowout, a shutout. RIP Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker pic.twitter.com/JKj4yoFKiC, We have just received the sad news informing us that Pernell Whitaker has passed. The victim succumbed to his injuries on the scene, a Virginia Beach Police Department spokesman said in a statement. I am saddened to learn of my good friend and Olympic teammate Pernell Whitaker's untimely passing last night.We share so many great memories. Wow I cant believe this!!! His wake will be on Monday September 7, 2015 at the Metropolitan Funeral Home in Berkley. ABC News' calls to a number listed for Pernell Whitaker went unanswered today. He was born as the son to parents Raymond Whitaker Sr. and his wife, Novella Whitaker. Legendary boxer Pernell Whitaker suffered "multiple blunt-force injuries" leading to his death at the age of 55 after being struck by a car while walking Sunday night in Virginia Beach,. Sixteen months later, Whitaker returned, but he was a shell of himself against Trinidad. He was born as the son to parents Raymond Whitaker Sr. and his wife, Novella Whitaker. 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. After the fights, we dropped the ropes, and they got married in the ring. His son Pernell Jr. died in 2015. Whitaker finished his career with a record of 40 wins, four losses and that one draw. Examined. R I P champ, one of the best fighters to ever do it. WBC: Bivol not eligible for belt due to sanctions, Diaz surrenders to New Orleans police after brawl, Paul launches series for up-and-coming boxers, Ramirez to defend WBO title vs. Shimizu in July, IBA upset by 'rogue' boxing group as U.S. quits, Sources: Anderson-Kossobutskiy to meet July 1. Click Agree to accept our use of cookies or you can choose to opt out of our use of cookies by following the instructions in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice. Boxing legend Pernell 'Sweet Pea' Whitaker, 55, fatally hit by pickup It has garnered over 800 reactions, nearly 300 shares and many comments of support. Then he later worked as a boxing trainer in his hometown Virginia after his retirement. A Virginia judge ruled that Pernell Whitaker's mother must vacate a home she's been living in since 1984. He was born on 2 January 1964, in Norfolk, Virginia. Condolences to his family. "Pernell Whitaker was beautiful -- both as a fighter and as a human being," HBO, his longtime television home, broadcasting 19 of his fights, said in a statement. DIED 2019 PERNELL WHITAKER OBITUARY Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker was a boxing legend who was considered one of the best boxers pound for pound in the history of the sport. He was 55. Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker, an Olympic gold medalist, was regarded as one . 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. I'm still trying to process everything that's going on. But unfortunately, he had a car accident in which he lost his life on the spot in Virginia Street on 14 July 2019. Police in Virginia Beach on Monday say Whitaker was a pedestrian when struck by the car. Pernell Whitaker, a longtime pound-for-pound king and one of the greatest boxers in history, was killed Sunday night when he was hit by a car in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Ryan Garcia took a chance and lost, but boxing is better for it, Gervonta Davis says he's the face of boxing and he's right, Women's boxing divisional rankings: Ryan shakes up welterweight division after impressive win. Whitaker and Anthony, who are now divorced, had four children Domonique, the late Pernell Jr., Dantavious, and Devon. But Whitaker's final falling out with his family came to an ugly end in a Virginia court on Wednesday. In 1984, he won his amateur career with an Olympic gold medal. He won a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics. He had 214 amateur fights, winning 201, 91 of them by knockouts, though he said that he had up to 500 amateur fights. However, at the time of his demise, his net worth has an estimation of around $5 million. #Boxing has lost one of its best and Ive lost a friend. He suffered his first pro defeat when the judges awarded a split decision to Ramirez. 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. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. No matter what he was going through, Pete had a great heart. Mark Lelinwalla is a contributing writer and editor for DAZN News. As an amateur, Whitaker won a silver medal in the lightweight division at the 1982 World Championships, followed by gold at the 1983 Pan American Games and 1984 Olympics. As a trainer, he trained Joel Julio and also the trainer for heavyweight Calvin Brock. Rest in Peace my friend. #RipSweetPea https://t.co/TSzFcf5d5Y, Very sad to hear the news about Pernell Whitaker today. "The driver of the vehicle remained on scene with police.". Whitakers career was recognized by other great boxers and athletes on social media, including Oscar De La Hoya and Magic Johnson. The fight was much closer than what the scorecards showed, and many observers felt that Whitaker won the fight. Pernell Whitaker is legally having his mother evicted from a home she's been living in since 1984. In his memory, there is an Instagram account @pernellwhitakerr with more than 2k followers. Condolences to his family. Pernell Whitaker Car Crash Death Video - YouTube Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. Convention Center, Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S. Following the fight, he announced his retirement and recorded his professional career with 40-4-1 with 17 knockouts. 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. Jun 29. Moreover, from the age of nine, he started his training in an amateur boxing career. Pernell Whitaker was an American professional boxer who had his fights from 1984 to 2001. He was a flawless fighter. In the eyes of many of the spectators, Whitaker outboxed the Mexican legend. He currently holds the longest unified lightweight championship reign in boxing history at six title defenses. Condolences to his family. Following this fight, Whitaker officially announced his retirement. We ended up paying for the wedding and had the reception after the show at the fight hotel.". One of the greatest boxers of my lifetime and my good friend Pernell Sweet Pea Whitaker passed away last night. He earned money at autograph shows as well. Pernell Whitaker Bio, Family, Career, Net Worth, Wife, Death "Hes not happy that it was necessary to go to court," Gould said. "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. 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. DAZN uses cookies to help us deliver our services and improve your user experience. I cant really say how Im feeling because Im feeling shocked. Whitaker died on July 14, 2019 after being stuck by a vehicle in Virginia Beach, Virginia. 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. During his lightweight title reign, Whitaker defeated fellow future Hall of Famer Azumah Nelson by clear decision and stopped Juan Nazario by rare first-round knockout to become the undisputed champion. 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. The victory over McGirt set him up for a much-anticipated fight against Julio Cesar Chavez at the Alamodome in San Antonio. RIP Sweet Pea. 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! https://t.co/pZZEceN7h2, I am saddened to learn of my good friend and Olympic teammate Pernell Whitaker's untimely passing last night. In December 2005 Whitaker became a boxing trainer in his home state of Virginia. Pernell graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1982 and later received an honorary Bachelors degree from Norfolk State University. A post shared by Floyd Mayweather (@floydmayweather) on Jul 15, 2019 at 6:44am PDT. The cover of Sports Illustrated days later showed a photo of Whitaker landing a punch with the headline "Robbed!". 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. [4] In 1989, Whitaker was named Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America. The court ruled that Whitaker's 73-year-old mother, Novella Whitaker, had to vacate the house by March 31. Olympic boxing champion Pernell Whitaker dies after being hit by car To me, he was one of the top five greatest boxers ever! Whitaker also had a daughter from a prior relationship, Tiara. A street fighter as a youngster, he learned to box at a local recreation center. Two fights later, Whitaker avenged the draw against Ramirez by winning a unanimous decision to retain the title. Max Kellerman (@maxkellerman) July 15, 2019 [2] He had six siblings, two brothers, Raymond Whitaker, Jr, Raynell Whitaker; and four sisters; Zelda Brown, Sylvonia Whitaker, Lucinda Manley, and Monique Williams. Whitaker was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006, and was a champion in four weight classes: lightweight, junior welterweight, welterweight and junior middleweight. 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. Whitaker was a legendary boxer who multiple titles in. Police in Virginia Beach said Whitaker was killed as he crossed the road at an intersection on Sunday night. Whitaker, known as Sweet Pea or Pete, was an elusive fighter who deftly avoided being hit, or hurt, by his opponents. I could watch hours and hours of him. 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. ", Magic Johnson added "Pernell 'Sweet Pea' Whitaker was in the class of Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard as one of the most entertaining fighters in my lifetime. Whitaker originally won the fight, but the win was nullified & changed to a No Decision after he failed a post-fight drug test. pic.twitter.com/pZZEceN7h2. He later trained young prospect Joel Julio. ", "That's all I can say about him," he told the newspaper. He was 55. He was a flawless fighter. But he was a cool guy.". He was 55. Apparently, back taxes were owed on the house and Pernell said that neither his mother nor his siblings, who also stayed in the house, were doing anything to help keep the house afloat financially. Whitaker was not boxing on the show, but his Olympic teammates and good buddies Holyfield, Mark Breland, Meldrick Taylor and Tyrell Biggs were. 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. welterweight belt. In addition, he also fathered a daughter Tiara Whitaker from his past relationship. He was the pound for pound best for half a decade, and one of the 3 greatest pure boxers who ever lived. Pernell Whitaker, who forged a reputation as arguably the greatest defensive boxer who ever lived, died late Sunday in Virginia Beach . 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 . 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.