WHITAKER WINS DEBUT AS JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, January 19, 1992                   TAG: 9201190150
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: D8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: PHILADELPHIA                                LENGTH: Short
WHITAKER WINS DEBUT AS JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT
Pernell Whitaker, who has exhibited a hot-dog move or two as the undisputed lightweight champion, made a workmanlike debut as a junior welterweight Saturday night.
Whitaker left his showboat home in Norfolk, Va., although he jazzed it up a little in the 10th round as he pounded out a 10-round decision over Harold Brazier.
Whitaker was ahead 100-90 on two official cards and 100-91 on the other. The fight was a preliminary to Meldrick Taylor's World Boxing Association welterweight title defense against Glenwood Brown.
"He's a good fighter and I got through him," said Whitaker, who dominated the 36-year-old Brazier from the outset. He controlled the first round with body punches and from then on mixed his attack to the head and body as he fought more flat-footed than he usually does.
Whitaker also likes to counterpunch but couldn't because Brazier did little leading.
"I like this weight," said Whitaker, who weighed 141 pounds, one pound over the junior welterweight limit. The 28-year-old Whitaker has said he doesn't intend to defend the lightweight (135-pound) title again.
It was the 13th straight win for Whitaker, who is 28-1 with 13 knockouts.
Brazier, 141, of South Bend, Ind., is 78-11-1 with 54 knockouts.
In another 10-round bout, Rodney Moore, 140 3/4, got up from two first-round knockdowns and scored a split decision over Tony Baltazar, 142 1/2, of Scottsdale, Ariz.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB