(Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker)
On December 7, 2006, Roberto Duran, Ricardo Lopez and Pernell Whitaker were announced as the next world champion boxers to be inducted as living inductees. They headed a class that also included non-participants and numerous posthumous fighter inductees. Pernell "Sweet Pea' Whitaker fought over 500 times and only lost 14 of the fights, His official amateur record is 201-14. The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta. The IBHOF is one of two recognized international boxing hall of fames, with the other being the World Boxing Hall of Fame. There are ceremonies conducted every year to honor the inductees and the ceremonies are attended by many former world boxing champions, boxing celebrities and Hollywood celebrities each year.
(Keisha and Roberto Duran)
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 Box offs 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 Whitaker compiled a professional record of 40-4-1 ND-17 Ko's, in a pro career that stretched from 1984 to 2001. Pernell made his pro debut as a lightweight at Madison Square Garden in 1984 by winning a 2nd round TKO. He won world titles as a lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight and light middleweight. 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. 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. One of the title defenses was against Julio Cesar Vasquez in 1995 which was also for the WBA Jr Middleweight title. 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. He earned seven-figure purses and had a 10-year run as the star attraction for HBO Sports. Professional boxers have to wait five years after retirement to be eligible for election into the Hall of Fame.
(Keisha and Pernell Whitaker)
Pernell Whitaker is also considering getting back into he ring, I spoke with him briefly about his career and future, although he is becoming more active in the sweet science, he guaranteed me he had no desire to actually train to fight himself, and in fact that he enjoys working with Calvin Brock, Whitaker worked Calvin Brock's corner on the Briggs Ibragimov heavyweight under card Saturday June 2nd in Atlantic City, New Jersey. When I asked him about accepting his award, he humbly stated he was grateful and honored.
(Pernell Whitaker and Calvin Brock)
