Pernell Whitaker - WHAT IF

I think Chavez fought well that night, and i dont think there was a GULF in class at all, just Whittaker was better and won the fight by a landslide on the cards, but it wasnt like Mayweather and Hatton where the class difference was visibly apparent throughout. Maybe that was 1 of Chavez' last fights where he was at his naturall best, or able to be. I think Chavez was past it slightly at 140, even though i rate him top 5 at the weight all-time, he never looked as great as his few fights at 135 imo.

I think at 147, Trinidad would beat Whitaker in the time period you have stated, even though Whitaker is a better boxer than Oscar (and i thought Oscar beat him), its a different type of boxer, Pea could do it though, i just dont think he would.

I think he would outclass Camacho, just best him at their game. Possibly beat Norris at 154??? He's gunna be able to outmanouvre Taylor, might be a bit like Hopkins-Calzage, but more punch output from Pea to seal it, and more energetic he would be throughout, although he wouldnt have the power of Hopkins (in a p4p sense).

Could he slip the jab of Ike Quartey and counter effectively?? I'll pick Whitaker anyway!!

So i only have Tito winnin'

 

Had Pernell fought Ike Quartey or Felix Trinidad in 1994 I think he handles both fairly easily. In 1994 Tito was losing about 3 or 4 rounds to an almost shot Hector Camacho. That was a Tito that was a little green and would have got near shut out by Pea I feel. Quartey was a bit too one dimensional for Whitaker, and though he'd put immense pressure on him and tag him with some hard, hard shots, I think Pea takes them and outboxes him for a good 8 rounds. If these fights happened 1996 then it's a different story. If Whitaker turns up in the shape he did for Rivera, he gets mashed (though of course, not stopped).

Taylor was a little naturally bigger than Whitaker, and if they fought around 1990 at 140 I think it would have been a really good fight. I'd ultimately pick Whitaker to win a close one based on his great defensive capabilities (no way Taylor will land flurries like he did on Chavez against a defensive master like Whitaker), but I bet it would be a fight that the judges might edge Taylor's way.

If Camacho and Whitaker fought say in 1986, I think Whitaker, though young and inexperienced would still win. Hector had the greater speed but Whitaker had the bigger heart, and if Pernell was getting outboxed, I'd expect him to get in on the inside and work Camacho over to the body to the point where he can handle the speed in the second half of the fight and dictate terms. A close 7-5 type decision I'd say in 86. Any later on in the piece and the scores merely widen for Whitaker.

Against Terry Norris, around the time he faced Vasquez (1995), I think Whitaker has a chance against Norris, but I'm not sure he'd win. If Whitaker rocks up in the shape he was against Vasquez, I could see him dropping a narrow decision - having said that, Norris himself was starting to decline by this point. I think Vasquez knocks Norris out 1995. If Whitaker managed to get in better shape than he showed against Vasquez, I'd pick him for a close points win, and if they fought at a catchweight of 150, I'd pick Whitaker by an 8-4 type decision. Assuming, he rocks up in the shape he did against Vasquez though, it's 7-5 Norris' way.

With regards to the Tito fight, Don King didn't want to let Tito get within a bulls roar of Whitaker after he saw first hand the lesson Whitaker gave to his other meal ticket, Julio Cesar Chavez. Whitaker's people wanted the fight, and I have no doubt Tito did too, but King wasn't up for it.

The Quartey fight should have happened late 1996 (he was a little too unknown before that to expect the fight to happen) but Whitaker wasted the year fighting and struggling with journeyman Rivera. Wasted year on Whitaker's part. Had to give him a rematch after the controversial first fight. They were scheduled to fight in 1998 as well, but Pea tested positive to coke in the Pestraiev fight and that put an end to that.

Meldrick Taylor and Whitaker were good friends and didn't want to fight each other so that explains why that didn't happen. Unfortunate, would have been a great fight.

Whitaker and Camacho never really crossed paths in the pros. Camacho's peak was about 1985, and Whitaker had just turned pro a year before that date. Camacho then moved outside the lightweight division and by the time Whitaker moved up to 140, Camacho was already all but done. They probably could have fought 1986, especially as they had met in the gym and had some bad blood for each other because of the outcome therea few years before, but Whitaker hadn't established himself in the pros and Camacho had belt holders to fight, rather than Whitaker, who up until that point was just a potential threat.

With regards to Norris, I suppose Whitaker could have fought him 1996 (1995 Norris was getting DQ'ed every other week against Luis Santana and had lost some of his appeal) but I think the Vasquez fight told Whitaker's people that Whitaker was no junior middle and better return to a weight he was more comfortable at. Vasquez broke Whtiaker's rib and I think Duva and co saw that Whitaker had hit his limit at 147.

He was a little deteriorated, not as quick as he was perhaps at 135 (same goes for Whitaker btw, though he was a little closer to his peak than Chavez was), but he was still tough as nails and in good shape for the fight. I actually think he fought smarter against Whitaker than he did against Taylor, even if he was a tad quicker against Taylor.

 

At 154, the size advantage with a fighter of Norris's speed and power would likely be too much and result in Whitaker losing a Decision. Otherwise, I'd favor him in every matchup.