12.06.07 – By Sam Gregory: Sunday June, 10th at The Boxing Hall-of-Fame in Canastota, New York Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker, the 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist was officially inducted in the International Boxing Hall-of-Fame. In a brief speech in front of the crowd of several hundred boxing fans Pernell paid homage to all the people involved in his illustrious career.
He talked about his amateur career saying, “I think I had a pretty good amateur career, I fought 500 times and only lost 14; you do the math.” He mentioned the trainers and managers that have all helped him along the way. His lawyer who was there to “make sure everything went the way it was supposed to and nobody took advantage of me.”
He gave thanks to manager Shelly Finkel and his long time trainer and manager Lou Duva who was there to say “what a pleasure it was to work with such a great champion in and out of the ring.” And last but certainly not least his parents, “Who are in love and were feeling passionate about each other one night and because of that here I am.”
Pernell Whitaker was born January 2, 1964 in Norfolk, Va.
His professional record: 40-3-1 (17 kayoes) 1 ND
His official amateur record: 201-14
In 1982 Pernell Whitaker won the United States Golden Gloves lightweight championship in Munich, West Germany.
In 1983 he won the Pan-American Games as a lightweight.
In 1984 at the U.S. Olympic Boxoffs in Fort Worth, TX. Pernell finished first in the lightweight division and went on to win the Gold Medal at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Pernell made his pro debut as a lightweight at Madison Square Garden in 1984 by winning a 2nd round TKO. He won his first title by winning a 12 round unanimous decision over Roger Mayweather in 1987 for the NABF lightweight crown.
Whitaker’s first loss was a very controversial split decision in a fight with Jose Luis Ramirez for the WBC lightweight title in 1988. Pernell avenged that loss a year and a half later in a fight for the vacant WBC title along with retaining the IBF lightweight title he won six months earlier, the fight was in his hometown of Norfolk, Va.
Pernell went on to defend those titles against the likes of Freddie Pendleton and Azuma Nelson in 1990.
In August of 1990 Pernell Whitaker KOed Juan Nazario in the first round to win the WBA title and vacant undisputed lightweight championship along with retaining his WBC and IBF titles.
In April of 1992 Whitaker abandoned the World Lightweight title to fight for the Jr Welterweight title. In July of that year he won the IBF Jr Welterweight title from Rafael Pineda.
In 1993 Pernell Whitaker beat Buddy McGirt in a 12 round decision for the Undisputed Welterweight Championship of the World. Later that year he retained that title in a draw with Julio Cesar Chavez.
Pernell Whitaker went on to defend the World Welterweight title nine times until losing a 12 round decision to Oscar De La Hoya in 1997. One of the title defenses was against Julio Cesar Vasquez in 1995 which was also for the WBA Jr Middleweight title.