Today in Boxing History: Pound-for-Pound, One of the Greatest Defensive Boxers of All Times Would Have Turned 60

Many legends have come and gone, but few have had a lasting impact, like Pernell Whitaker! The four-division champion traded this world for the other on July 14, 2019, leaving behind a legacy of greatness. Tuesday marked Whitaker’s 60’s birth anniversary, launching people in the boxing world to celebrate the incredible life of ‘Sweet Pea’ Whitaker. 

Whitaker had been the top brass in the sport since 1989, but The Ring Magazine ranked him number one in their annual pound-for-pound rankings for three straight years (1993-1995). After his retirement in 2001, he was inducted into the International Hall of Fame, and in 2002, The Ring Magazine ranked him the 10th greatest boxer in the last 80 years. So, to pay homage to the late legend, Dan Rafael took to social media yesterday, reminiscing about the good old days. 

Dan Raffle unveils precious memories

Penning a heartfelt message on X (formerly Twitter), the boxing journalist recollected the time he met Whitaker in 2016 at the Kovalev-Ward I media center. In the picture, Rafael can be seen with Whitaker, Larry Merchant in the middle, and Tom Hauser peeking in from the left-hand corner of the picture. Listing Whitaker’s accolades, Rafael suggested if Whitaker was alive today, he would have been 60 years old. 

“The late great Pernell Whitaker, longtime P4P king & 4-division champion, would have turned 60 today. Here’s a pic from the Kovalev-Ward I media center in 2016: Whitaker with me, Larry Merchant & Tom Hauser. Good times & quite the #boxing conversation,” wrote Rafael. While Rafael celebrates ‘Sweet Pea’ Whitaker’s birthday – not so long ago, it was the 30th anniversary of his fight against Julio Cesar Chavez. 

Lou DiBella condemns boxing judges

The reason Whitaker has one draw on his record is because of the September 1993 fight against the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez. In Alamodome, San Antonio Whitaker had his WBC welterweight title on the line and went shot for shot with Chavez. Despite his remarkable performance, the fight was declared a majority draw, but Lou Dibella didn’t agree. 

On the 30th anniversary of the fight, the president of Debella Entertainment wrote on X, “To this day, this remains the worst, most egregious, example of #boxing robbery that I have ever seen.” He goes on to claim that the Virginia native had put on the best performance of his career, but “he was victimized by bold, shameless, corrupt boxing judging.” 

Also Read: Pernell Whitaker Death: How Did Olympic Gold Medalist Lost His Life at the Age of Just 55?

Five years after Whitaker’s tragic passing, Dan Rafael celebrated the legend with a blast from the past. Were you a Whitaker fan? What did you think of Whitaker’s fight against Chavez?

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