By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing
As the world remembers boxing legend Pernell Whitaker, who tragically passed away last Sunday at the age of 55, the inevitable comparisons between Whitaker and Floyd Mayweather are being made. Hall of Fame world champions Jeff Fenech and Oscar De La Hoya both told Grantlee Kieza of the Courier Mail that Whitaker was better.
“Pernell was regarded as the world’s best fighter pound for pound for many years,” Fenech said. “For a while, there was talk of me fighting him. Believe me, that would have been a hard fight. I was with Pernell at the 1984 Olympics and he was just a brilliant, slick defensive wizard, maybe the best defensive fighter of all time. I got to know him very well over the years. I think he would have been too clever for Floyd Mayweather, even though Floyd is a great fighter too.”
When Oscar de la Hoya was interviewed by Kieza in Mexico in April, the Golden Boy agreed with Fenech, saying that while he had fought a celebrated battle with Mayweather, Whitaker was the best boxer he ever faced. “Pernell was a better fighter than Mayweather,” said De La Hoya, who won a controversial decision against Whitaker. “He was a superb defensive fighter. A very slick southpaw.”
Damn.. can’t stay off Floyd’s dick huh? Lol… While statement may be true, is it really necessary? I would assume these guys are all wealthy from the sport, why are they still so mad?
You gave your opinion…… just like them !!
Whitaker was all time a better 135 pounder than Floyd. Pernell had 10 lightweight title fights, and looked good at 140 beating Rafael Pineda. Whitaker was a pretty serious dude when he moved up to 140 in 1992, he could have been dominant in that weight class too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ynGnpGgwCw
As for Fenech, the Fenech that fought Nelson the 1st time (June 1991), he would have given a great fight to the version of Mayweather Jr with a title at 130 (Floyd 1999-2001). Oscar De La Hoya was a bad dude in 1994 and 1995 too.
No way Fenech would ever give Floyd problems he was tailored made for Floyd at 130 Floyd would have chewed him up and spit him out in 8 rounds without a doubt. Whitaker would have been a tough fight though fight to watch as they both were defensive I still say Floyd in a tight decision, because Floyd s mental toughness he was always able to make whoever he fought fight his fight his pace.
Just saying Robert
It took Floyd 10 rounds to get Hatton out but 8 for Fenech?
Oscar, aren’t you the one that said that Floyd was the best fighter you had ever seen right after the Mosley fight?
Facts
They were both exceptionel deffensive and technical boxers and if they had fought, who knows who would have won!? But lets be honest. It would have been a real snooze fest. Two very deffensive boxers trying to outsmart each other!? Zzzzzzzz
Both Oscar & Jeff were all time greats themselves. I respect both of them. I disagree. Floyd Jr. had much better focus, and would have found a way to win. Let’s not forget. Floyd Jr. beat Oscar. Pernell did not.
However, regardless of how great Pernell was, that still does not give a reckless driver the right to kill Pernell. It does not matter who it was. Whether you are a soft paranoid nerd like Bernie Sanders or Adam Schitt, an illegal border trespasser, a guy who just broke out of jail with fake credentials, or, Mr. Perfect who hit the wrong button on the car. It does not matter. Killing is killing.
The pedestrian is not the one driving the car. The person driving the car is ALWAYS responsible. And that person MUST be punished. The degree of punishment depends on alcohol, drugs, intent, etc. Unless someone sabotaged the car to where it became a remote controlled smart car controlled by computer hackers, which one day may be the case, THE DRIVER IS RESPONSIBLE.
#PernellWhitakersLifeMattered #SweetPeasLifeMattered.
You are an idiot. I don’t know all the facts of this Whitaker case so I’m not commenting on that, but in general….. you don’t just walk out in front of a car, get hit, and say it is the driver’s fault. That is typical liberal/democrat mentality…… not responsible for stupid decisions. Any decent parent will teach their kids to stop, look both ways….. sometimes 2 or 3 times….., then if nothing is coming you can cross the street. Common sense. Again….. I don’t know the details of the Whitaker case, but saying the driver is always responsible is just ridiculous. Only thing I agree with is that prime Floyd would beat prime Whitaker.
Actually, a driver is the responsible person. Not the pedestrian. However, nylon.polymer, I want to thank you for respecting the greatest president of all time (President Donald John Trump Sr). I agree with you that Liberals are not ones to take responsibility. However, in this case, it was not Sweet Pea’s fault. It was the driver’s. ALL DRIVERS MUST PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD. This is basic commons sense. I want to see the driver get punished.
nylon.polymer, Doug, don’t waste your time. This Jonathan guy has nothing better to do.
We don’t need your world view, just your boxing one.
If you’re driving down the freeway and someone jumps in front of your car, it still driver’s fault yeah? Smh
My first statement is to say I am sorry to hear of Sweet Pea’s passing! He was a GREAT! I don’t know what happened to him, and I’m not saying it was his fault.
However, to this passage, the driver is not ‘ALWAYS RESPONSIBLE’.
What an idiotic thing to say!
So if a person is to go out at night, dressed in black, onto an unlit portion of roadway, and proceed to step into oncoming traffic, the driver is responsible?
That’s the level of STUPIDITY that is making today’s masses believe someone else is always responsible for their unintelligent actions.
Morons like you need to stay indoors.
Hmm, on second thought why don’t you dress in black and step into oncoming traffic at night on an unlit section of roadway? Maybe that can stop the idiocy coming from your bloodline.
Doug, at least someone agrees with me that the driver needs to take responsibility and be punished.
Thank you for having enough common sense to realize this. At least someone agrees with me.
This is not a Red vs Blue thing. This is about Sweet Pea. One of the greatest boxers to ever lace on a pair of gloves, being VICIOUSLY MURDERED by some douche bag that failed to pay attention to the road. That asshole, being in a fog, spacing out, not paying attention to the road, KILLED an icon. If you ask me, that is pretty fucked up. Sweet Pea deserved the right to live. He made his contribution to the USA and the world. Out of respect to him, the driver MUST be punished. I could care less who he, she or it is. Punish the driver.
Jonathan the driver did not leave, he stayed behind and was cooperating. Isn’t that taking responsibility? That those who enforce the law let him go, that’s another thing. Besides, you still don’t know if charges will be filed, they are still investigating. But this article isn’t about the law, the government, it’s about Pernell Whitaker and how great was.
Oscar didnt beat Pernell,,the Judges did,,Pernell beat his ass youtube the fight
It was a close fight.. if you were counting just punches .. Whitaker… If you were looking for punch effect…Dela Hoya..
Glad people like Eric know the TRUTH. This is what REAL BOXING fans know:
A PAST PRIME Pernell was able to not just school an IN PRIME Oscar, but Pernell even got a legit knockdown late in the fight against Oscar and convincingly beat IN PRIME Oscar!
Pernell was ROBBED of a “scorecard” Victory over Oscar… but everyone knows that Pernell legitimately and convincingly won that fight and won the championship that night over Oscar.
The TRUTH is that
the IN PRIME challenger Floyd did nothing to show that he convincingly beat the reigning champion PAST PRIME Oscar. In fact Floyd struggled with a PAST PRIME Oscar!.
Floyd got a very undeserved split decision GIFT. That boxing match was a draw at best which means Oscar retains title in a draw. The fact that Floyd was too scared to do the immediate rematch and chose to “retire” instead in order to “avoid” the 1 year rematch clause with Oscar tells you the truth that Floyd was scared he (or Al Harmon) couldn’t pay off the judges in the rematch.
Jonathan, you lost ALL CREDIBILITY when you stated…
“Floyd Jr. beat Oscar. Pernell did not.”
That just showed us your “casual”
The TRUTH is…
A PAST PRIME Pernell was able to not just school an IN PRIME Oscar, but Pernell even got a legit knockdown late in the fight against Oscar and convincingly beat IN PRIME Oscar!
Pernell was ROBBED of a “scorecard” Victory over Oscar… but everyone knows that Pernell legitimately and convincingly won that fight and won the championship that night over Oscar.
The TRUTH is that
the IN PRIME challenger Floyd did nothing to show that he convincingly beat the reigning champion PAST PRIME Oscar. In fact Floyd struggled with a PAST PRIME Oscar!.
Floyd got a very undeserved split decision GIFT. That boxing match was a draw at best which means Oscar retains title in a draw. The fact that Floyd was too scared to do the immediate rematch and chose to “retire” instead in order to “avoid” the 1 year rematch clause with Oscar tells you the truth that Floyd was scared he (or Al Harmon) couldn’t pay off the judges in the rematch.
They are right because Pernell would slap up Floyd during sparring.Floyd didnt have the experience but if he was that good Pernell would have never slapped him up .In a real fight (both young) .Id go with Pernell.
Yes, Sweet Pea was robbed against Oscar. Whitaker and Mayweather would have been a great tactical matchup for us boxing purists…casual fans that only want to see slugfests and knockouts would not have the knowledge to appreciate great boxers and only love the sluggers.
Mayweather was much better than Pernell.
1st and foremost, We lost a TRUE ATG in Sweat P Whitaker…Rest In Glory!
Yeah, the ONLY thing Mayweather was better at Pernell was the fact that Mayweather was better at
always avoiding top IN PRIME competition and especially in avoiding
Young Gifted Fast IN PRIME African American Fighters as well as top
IN PRIME International talent.
What made Floyd look worse of all is that he avoided fighting the 2009 Superfight with the Greatest Fighter of the Decade 2000-2010 and made constant lame and racist comments as well as outright lies he had to pay in court for… that showed what a coward Floyd really was and would only fight guys that were already past their prime.
PERNELL > Floyd
PERNELL is the TRUTH,
Floyd has been a lie.
mayweather is not a great fighter. he actually has two or three loses. one was casitlla beat him. period,
Of course Oscar! Oscar was the greatest of all time! He will tell you! Just ask him!
Both are legends and showing respect to the fallen Champion. Fenech saying that is viewed as just that, But De La Hoya saying that sounds like he’s tryin ta get a dig in. Even tho I thought he lost he got the V over Whitaker, for him to say he thinks he was a tougher fight than one he had and lost with Floyd is him just throwing stones. Floyd is still bitter and took it with him into promoting. When he would have a golden boy promoted fighter fighting Floyd he’d ALWAYS say, He’ll win I gave him the blueprint or game plan to follow, and it NEVER HAPPENED. BITTER DUDE.
Hard to define who the better boxer was, but for sure in a selection of all time greats, Pernell should be among the top 20, way above Floyd Mayweather, who could barely make the cut of the top 50. Pernell never ducked no one and even in the twilight of his boxing career he dared to face the two best welterweight then (Oscar and Trinidad). Just Julio Cesar Chavez, DeLaHoya and Trinidad (143-0) are three men that Floyd would have never dared to face at that moment on their boxing career, when they were highly competitive. That is the fact that make Pernell greater than Floyd for a wide margin
Floyd just didn’t get that tired with all the running he did…He had special track shoes designed and manufactured costing him in excess of 150,000.00. Pernell couldn’t afford that kind of money for shoes so he had someone in the Mayweather camp steal a pair of Floyds.
Floyd has trouble with southpaws, and zab won the first 4 rounds of their fight easily. Whitaker would have out slicked, and just frustrated floyd for sure. Pernell by decision.
Floyd was overall a superior fighter to Sweet Pea. Both defensive geniuses but Floyd had a better offense and could adapt to any style. Note: when Pernell lost to Trinidad he was about 35 yrs old. When Floyd was 35 he was still fighting and beating guys like Robert Guerrero, Canelo Alvarez, Victor Ortiz, Manny Pacquiao, Andre Berto. Say what you will but all these guys were World Champions, some future HOF’ers. Floyd might be hated now but someday, 10-20 years from now he will be remembered much more fondly.
Pedro, your funny.
Yeah, Pernell lost to Trinidad because Pernell was PAST PRIME and STILL dared to take on an IN PRIME Trinidad!
And the reason Pernell was Past Prime was because he had already fought so many fight scenes against IN PRIME competition for many years!
An IN PRIME Floyd at the same age was beating as you said the likes of a lower weight guy like Robert Guerrero? A worldbeater like Victor Ortiz? Cmon man! You don’t actually believe what your saying…do you?
Even in his prime Floyd would have avoided the likes of a Trinidad!
Floyd even was scared to fight a prime for prime battle with the smaller Pacquiao in 2009 after what he saw Pac do to Oscar, Hatton, and especially Cotto.
Heck, Floyd even avoided fighting
Young Gifted Fast IN PRIME African American Fighters as well as avoiding top IN PRIME International talent.
Any human who thinks highly of Mr. Mayweather’s career is revealing they’re naive. His manipulative match making scheme disqualifies him in every category of those who took on their high risks when most applicable to form a gladiatorial legacy. Mr. Whitaker is on video taking on all comers and fighting fights that mattered and he competed ‘during’ competition. Floyd’s only highlight is being rocked from a [Shane] Mosley right hand. Other than that he has no career defining resilient gladiatorial moments that resonates a gladiatorial prowess. Hence the fraudulent match making to deceive laymen.
A clean Whitaker without drug problems beats Mayweather without a question. Only drugs beat Whitaker. Only Trinidad beat Whitaker convincingly, but he was on his last legs in his drug infested boxing career. It’s really too bad that we didn’t get to see 100% Whitaker during most of his career. That makes Floyd look so much more professional. Floyd was a true professional who not only relied on his boxing skills but took great care of his body and career. Floyd is a better professional and a businessman. Whitaker is a better fighter who performed below 100% and still beat everyone in front of him… without having to resort to running, like Mayweather does sometimes.
Hahaha. That’s not even a debate. Pernell would toy with FMjr. That’s like saying “Which one would win? A Ferrari (Pernell) or a Mustang (Floyd)?” Not even a discussion.