14.02.07 – By Geoffrey Ciani: Once upon a time, Pernell Whitakar was widely considered the most talented pugilist in the boxing world. No doubt, “Sweet Pea” was a tremendous fighter. When he was at his best, he was a very versatile fighter who was capable of making adjustments like the very best the sport has ever seen. Although he’s largely remembered as a slick counter-puncher, “Sweet Pea’s” versatility made him a much more complete fighter than he’s often given credit for. A great example of this was his rematch with Buddy McGirt.
When Whitakar and McGirt first squared-off in March 1993, “Sweet Pea” was awarded a unanimous decision. That fight took place on McGirt’s home turf at Madison Square Garden, and although the fight was quite competitive, there was no doubting who the winner was.
McGirt later blamed the loss on a shoulder injury, and this angered “Sweet Pea”, because when asked about his shoulder before their fight, McGirt stated it was “fine.” Incidentally, McGirt had shoulder surgery a week after their first bout and was out of commission for the next eight months.
Over the next nineteen months, Whitaker was widely becoming recognized as the top pound-for-pound talent in the sport. This paved the way for a long-awaited rematch in October 1994. This time, the fight would take place on “Sweet Pea’s” home turf in Norfolk, Virginia. Would McGirt be able to beat Whitaker on his home turf just as Whitaker had defeated him on his? Many fans wondered with eager anticipation as the fight date approached.
This time, there would be no excuses, as both fighters came in at 100%. It would be a battle of elite fighters in the welterweight division.
After a slow first round where both fighters began feeling each other out, things picked up in the second when McGirt dropped “Sweet Pea” with a short right hand. It wasn’t the most devastating punch, but it was a clean knockdown. Whitaker was caught on top of the head while leaning back just as McGirt lunged in. This would be just the third time “Sweet Pea” had ever been dropped in his career, and he didn’t look happy about it. McGirt, however, capitalized on this, and continued his momentum into the next round, which saw some outstanding exchanges from both fighters.
At this point, it appeared we had a classic battle on our hands between two of the best in the business. This was largely a tactical bout where each man wanted the other to take the lead so that counter-punch opportunities would arise. The next few rounds saw some great exchanges, where the two fighters began mauling each other on the inside, popping one another from the outside, and throwing punches in bunches in many an exciting exchange.
Each was exhibiting extraordinary skill in this fast-paced chess match. Whitaker, however, was doing just enough more to win these rounds, and as the bout progressed, he began winning rounds more and more clearly. What at first appeared to be a classic battle between two warriors was rapidly becoming a classic one-sided exhibition. Whitaker showcased has tactical mastery in every imaginable way.
Despite his early lead, McGirt was now reluctant to let his hands go, and Whitaker seized the opportunity and took the lead—something he was not often known to do. It wasn’t long before “Sweet Pea” began dominating rounds, and he was using every trick in the book along the way, be it clean counter-punching, leading with the jab, slipping punches, magnificent footwork, popping him from the outside or mauling him on the inside. Indeed, “Sweet Pea” began making this look easy.
Let’s not forget, Buddy McGirt was an outstanding fighter who was firmly established as an elite boxing talent in his own right. He was very quick and he had tremendous boxing skills. Unfortunately for McGirt, it just wasn’t enough, for Whitaker had even faster hands and seemed to float about the ring like a light-footed Elf from the world of Tolkien. As good as McGirt was, he was being made to look very ordinary against the extraordinary “Sweet Pea”.
McGirt’s trainer, Al Certo, was pleading with him to let his hands go. It wasn’t as if he wasn’t trying, he just wasn’t trying often because whenever he did, he found himself on the receiving end of Whitaker’s fists. In the other corner, Lou Duva couldn’t have been more pleased, as his fighter was clearly winning the bout and doing so in style.
When the fight ended, everyone in attendance knew that their hometown pugilist had just put on an exhibition for the ages. Scorecards read 117-110, 117-113, and 118-112, all in favor of “Sweet Pea”. With this victory, Whitaker had solidified his position as the pound-for-pound king, having just outclassed another pound-for-pound talent. All of his skill was on display for this one, and the crowd at Norfolk got to see “Sweet Pea” at his absolute best.
When I think of “Sweet Pea” the fighter, I always think of him not as a slick counter-puncher and not as a defensive wizard, but rather, as a masterful opportunist! To be sure, there’s no doubt that he was a slick counter-puncher, nor is there any doubt that he was an incredible defensive fighter. However, I think it’s more accurate to describe him as an “opportunist”, for whenever an opportunity presented itself, Whitaker would pounce! Oftentimes this did mean smacking his opponent’s face with a quick counter, or slipping out of the way of a big punch, but other times it meant sticking a jab in your opponent’s face or feinting to create an opening.
Point being, when the situation presented itself, “Sweet Pea” was a much more capable fighter than many give him credit for. He was an opportunist, and whenever opportunity knocked, he almost always answered.
To contact Ciani:
geoff@eatthemushroom.com
To read more by Ciani, please visit The Mushroom Mag, home of Seeking Madam Mushroom
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