The Boxing History Blog

Pernell Whitaker Now campaigning as a light-welterweight, Pernell Whitaker easily outpointed Harold Brazier in January 1992 and knocked out Jerry Smith in a round four months later. On 18th July 1992 he stepped back into world-class territory and challenged Rafael Pineda for his IBF light-welterweight title. The defending champion had been a professional since April 1986 and the sole loss on his record came in a challenge to Mark Breland's WBA welterweight crown three years later. The Colombian went on a winning run of six before facing Roger Mayweather for the vacant IBF light-welterweight championship in December 1991. Pineda stopped Mayweather in the ninth round and successfully defended the title for the first time against Clarence Coleman, the same night as Whitaker's first-round blowout of Jerry Smith. On 18th July 1992 at the Mirage Hotel, Las Vegas, Pineda and Whitaker clashed for the championship. The champion was docked points in rounds six and eight for low ...

Pernell Whitaker The new IBF lightweight champion made the first defence of his crown against undefeated Mexican Louis Lomelli at the end of April 1989. Whitaker staggered his opponent in the first round and went on to stop the Mexican in the third. Four months later Whitaker would face arch-nemesis Jose Louis Ramirez again in his home town of Norfolk, Virginia. The fight was also for the vacant WBC lightweight championship, as the holder, Julio Cesar Chavez, had moved up to the light-welterweight division. During fight week it very much looked as if both governing bodies wouldn't be sanctioning Whitaker-Ramirez II. Both organisations were squabbling over who would name the officials, them or the Virginia Athletic Commission. They also had trivial debates, such as what logo would be on the referee's shirt. As it turned out, referee Chris Wollesen, wore neither. On the Wednesday, which was four days before fight night, the IBF president, Bob Lee, was persuaded to sanctio...

Pernell Whitaker One of boxing's most masterful defensive fighters passed away at the age of fifty-five on 14th July 2019. Pernell 'Sweet Pea' Whitaker was struck by a vehicle in his home state of Virginia in Virginia Beach at approximately 22-00 on the intersection of Northampton Boulevard and Baker Road. Emergency personnel performed CPR in an attempt to resuscitate him, but they were unsuccessful. The driver of the vehicle also remained at the scene to speak to police. Born on 02nd January 1964 in Norfolk, Virginia, Whitaker went on to be one of America's top amateur boxers, capping off his multi-championships by taking gold at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 as a lightweight, finishing his record as 201-14. Whitaker turned professional in November 1984, ending Farrain Comeaux's 11-0 ledger with a second-round TKO at Madison Square Garden. Also on the card, making their debuts, were the other US Olympic medal winners, Evander Holyfield, Meldrick Taylor, Ma...

Azumah Nelson Azumah Nelson was born in Accra, Ghana on 19th July 1958. He had an amateur record of 50-2 and picked up the featherweight gold medal at the Edmonton Commonwealth Games in Canada. He turned professional on 01st December 1979, beating fellow countryman and debutant Billy Kwame, winning a ten-round points decision.  As a professional he had a meteoric rise, winning the Ghanaian featherweight title in only his third contest, beating Henry Saddler with a ninth-round knockout. In his sixth fight, he was African champion, winning by a tenth-round TKO over Joe Skipper. He beat Australian Brian Roberts for the vacant Commonwealth featherweight crown with a fifth-round TKO in bout number ten. On 21st July 1982 at the Mecca of boxing, Madison Square Graden, New York, Nelson, in his fourteenth contest, came in as a late substitute and challenged Mexican great Salvador Sanchez for the WBC featherweight crown. Sanchez, hailing from Tianguistenco, Mexico ...

  Early Life & Career Born on 12th July 1962, Chavez was one of ten children. He claimed that "I started fighting before I was one minute old." On 05th February 1980, aged 17 he made his professional debut against Andres Felix winning by a sixth-round knockout. There are sources that suggest Chavez actually lost an early fight due to a disqualification, but this hasn't been confirmed. As records stand he was 43-0 when he challenged fellow Mexican Mario Martinez for the vacant WBC super-featherweight crown on 13th September 1984. Explosive short hooks and body punches helped him on the way to an eighth-round victory. Over a period of three years, Chavez made nine successful defences including such names as Roger Mayweather, Francisco Tomas Da Cruz and Juan Laporte. He also had a few non-title fights against some obscure opponents like Roberto Collins Lindo who had a record of 1-15-0. On 21st November 1987 Chavez moved up to the lightweight division and cha...