THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 20, 1995 TAG: 9508200179
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 243 lines
Pernell ``Sweetpea'' Whitaker (35-1-1) defends his World Boxing Council welterweight title Saturday night in Atlantic City against mandatory No. 1 challenger Gary Jacobs. Whitaker, a six-time world champion in four weight classes, sat down after a recent training session to take a pensive, introspective look at his career and discuss what happens when he hangs up his gloves.
You're the fourth man ever to win world titles in four weight classes, you're widely recognized as boxing's best fighter pound-for-pound in the world. You've had a great career. What do you still feel you want to do or have to do before you quit boxing?
There's nothing really left to do. I'm just staying competitive. There's some fights still left out there for me. There are no more titles that are out there that I really want to win.
You've fought almost 11 years now as a professional, what makes you keep going?
Being competitive and staying consistent. I'm just having fun doing it, and as long as I'm having fun, I can continue to do it as long as there's a fight out there that can make me get up for it.
What are some of those fights right now? Who in particular would you like to fight in the next couple years?
Actually there's only two big fights left for me out there, and that's the (Hector) Camacho fight and the (Julio Cesar) Chavez fight. Other than those two guys, I don't see anything else left out there.
The Camacho fight is being talked about, so that could happen within the next year, right?
It could happen in the next couple months. I think hopefully there probably will be a Camacho fight in November.
The Chavez fight is a little more problematic: There's a question of whether or not Chavez is ever going to fight you again. How badly do you want that fight, and if you retire never having had a chance to fight him again, would that be a bit of a disappointment?
I think it's the fans that really want to see that fight happen again. Not only was I cheated, but the fans were cheated also. I figure the fans pretty much want to see Whitaker-Chavez one more time. If I don't get the fight, I wouldn't be disappointed because I feel like I done it the first time. Nothing can take that away.
If you quit today, is there anything you would not have done in boxing that you wanted to?
No. Everything's been done in boxing that one man could possibly do, starting back from the amateur career to the present moment. I was on top of the world as an amateur, and now I'm on top of the world as a professional. There is nothing else to be done.
In almost 11 years as a pro you've got one official loss and one tie, but most people obviously agree both were injustices to you. Joe Louis once said that every man's got to lose sometime. How do you think you would feel if and when you ever really lost?
I'd just suck it up. It has to go through your mind that one of these days you can possibly lose. I wouldn't be disappointed. It would probably just make me go back to the drawing board and train a little harder next time. I don't want to lose; I don't train to lose; I don't have that in my mind. But there's always a possibility that I can lose. I accept losing as part of winning.
In your mind, are you undefeated as a pro?
Deep down inside, of course. I feel like the fans know who won those two fights, and that's what counts the most.
Do you ever spend much time thinking about the possibility of a loss?
It doesn't bother me at all. I don't thrive on thinking about losing. I can count the achievements and the wins and all the things that I've already done, so losing now wouldn't mean anything because I've already completed them.
Some people said when you fought Chavez you beat him and he couldn't deal with that, and he's never been the same since. You don't think it would have a profound impact on you if you lost?
I don't think so, because I don't think I'm going to be around that long to think about it. I just don't jump in the ring with anybody, and there's only a couple of big fights left for me. There isn't a whole lot of losing left in me. If I were to lose, I'd accept it as the best man won that night. I'd just have to come back and work harder to get back on top.
What are you proudest of in your career?
My Olympic gold medal, of course. That was something for my mother, as well as representing the country. Everybody can't win gold medals. Titles come and go, but gold medals are here to stay.
Anything as a professional that really stands out for you?
It stands out that the fans named me pound-for-pound the best fighter in the world. Among winning the titles, I think that's the biggest title I could possibly hold.
Is that one of the primary motivators for you to continue fighting now, because you're pretty widely recognized as the best pound-for-pound and you want to hold onto that?
Of course. I think that's the people's title. I want to be able to maintain holding the title the people gave me. I've been holding it now since that Chavez fight in '93, and this is '95, so a couple years of staying on top pound-for-pound is great.
Talk about pound-for-pound and the importance of that for you. Some people are talking about super middleweight Roy Jones Jr. now possibly challenging you for that.
Everybody wants to be pound-for-pound, but I say you have to be consistent, you have to fight for that title. He only has two or three title defenses while I have 17 or 18. You can't match up the guys he fought to the guys I've fought. Everybody wants to be pound-for-pound the best, but there's only one pound-for-pound.
How important is that to you?
Very important. I think I can hold that title until I retire from the game, then Roy Jones can step in.
At one time there was some talk of you possibly fighting him. Do you ever foresee that, or are you too far apart in weight class?
Just too far apart. I don't take anything from Roy Jones, but the weight is just too far. If he was closer to me I would love to fight him, and I'm sure he probably would love to fight me also.
Another one that is somewhat intriguing, but you maybe are too far apart in the other direction, is lightweight Oscar De La Hoya. Do you see yourself possibly fighting him before you retire?
He's closer to me in weight than Roy Jones. He can possibly weigh 145 or 147 in the next year. He's possible, but he wouldn't want to get in that ring with me.
Do you wish there had been more high-caliber opponents for you to fight that would have gotten the public excited, more fights like the Chavez fight?
Everyone wants that. Ray Leonard had Hagler, Hearns and Duran. I have to go with what I have, and they're not knocking on the doors often.
But it is kind of one unfortunate thing in your career that there weren't more guys like that?
Exactly.
Outside of boxing, what are you proudest of in your life?
My wife and kids. Been married now for 10 1/2 good years, have three boys - 14, 10 and 4 and one on the way, due Nov. 16. Being a father and a husband I think is the most profound thing for me. I'm also building a bigger home for the family in Virginia Beach, the Church Point area. I'm looking forward to that and being able to spend time with the family.
You know it's a boy? Can't get that girl, huh?
Can't get her.
A couple of years ago, you started using the word ``retirement'' every once in a while. Where do you stand right now on retirement, and do you think about it much?
It's always in the back of my mind. There isn't anything I haven't done and there aren't a whole lot of other things I can do. I've been bouncing around on these feet for 23 years. It's taken a little toll. I'm not tired of doing it, but there's just a time that you've got to let somebody else younger do it. But as long as I'm having fun and as long as there's fights out there that can keep me competitive, I'm going to continue to do it.
You're 31, do you have any inkling of when you might retire or a time frame of when you want to be done?
No, I don't. I've said next year, '96, after the Olympics. I still think that '96 could be the last year, but I never say never.
I think at one time you said '94 might be your last year, so you've been at that point before and gone beyond it.
Exactly. I know once I do retire, I won't be coming back, I can tell you that.
It's forever?
Forever.
Do you want to fight in Virginia again?
I would love to do it one more time at home before I step down completely. I would love to have a big fight here, like a farewell fight, one big competitive fight for the home fans.
You've made literally millions of dollars in boxing. Is it safe to assume you and your family are financially set for life?
Yes.
What have you done with your money: Have you invested, have you bought into businesses?
My money has been invested very well with the Merrill Lynch company. I let them do their job with it, and I've been having a lot of success.
You don't own any businesses or anything like that?
No, stocks and mutual funds.
Is owning a business a possibility at some point?
I like the stock business right now. (Laughter.) Staying safe.
What do you do after boxing, have you thought about that?
I haven't done much thinking about it. I'm just going to lay around and enjoy some of these finances I've earned. I'm not going to be in a hurry to do anything else. I'm going to at least take the opportunity to sit back and think about what I want to do when it's over instead of rushing into doing something.
But you don't have anything set right now?
No.
You did some broadcasting on pay-per-view boxing telecasts. How do you think that went, and do you see yourself doing some of that?
That's a good possibility that I could move into a slot to do a little (fight analysis). But once I get out of the game, I want to be able to relax with my family for a little while and then give it some thought.
In the last couple years you've fought twice, maybe three times a year. What do you do in your down time? What's life like for Pernell Whitaker when he's not in a six-week training camp before a fight?
It's not that easy, but I try to stay in the public's eye all the time instead of hiding out in the house away from the people. I go out to nightclubs and the mall and out to eat with the family. Just doing things to stay out so people can see me.
But there's not a particular agenda between fights?
When they schedule for me to fly out and go do a promotion, I do that. I try to go speak to the kids and go do some other charity things.
You like to spend a lot of time around home and with your family during those times?
I like to play around with my sons and, basically, sleep. Sleep is a beautiful thing.
That's right, we've talked about this before. Your average day of sleep is how much?
I love to get 16 hours in. If I can get 16 hours in, the other eight is for the family. I love to sleep. I love it.
What's the most you've ever slept in one day?
I think a couple 20 hours. Never woke up.
You were probably not the most heralded boxer of the '84 Olympians, and yet you've had probably the most heralded and successful career. How do you view the acclaim you've had in boxing, not only in this country but around the world?
It's been astonishing, really. Coming out of the Olympics and getting adapted to the professional style, it was made for me to do. I think I was put here to be a fighter and do what I do, and do it well.
Some other guys coming out of those 1984 Olympics were a little more ballyhooed. Are you astonished sometimes you've had the career you've had?
Coming out of the Olympics, I wasn't looking for this type of professional career. Actually, I was just looking to win a gold medal, and have a few pro fights and retire. It didn't turn out that way. (Laughter.)
Why were you thinking that? You just didn't think boxing could take you that far?
The professional ranks wasn't on my agenda coming out of the Olympics. I just wanted to win the gold medal and purchase my mother a home. I had the opportunity after just a few fights to do that. Obviously, I just stuck around.
Did you know what you were going to do for a living?
No. Once I started fighting professionally, after a few fights I wanted to be world champion. I just hung in there until I done it.
So never in your wildest dreams did you think you would have a career anything like this as a professional?
I wanted it, but I never thought it would go this far. I worked hard at it; nothing was a gift. And I'm still working hard at it. To stay on top you have to be consistent.
Would it be correct to say reality has exceeded the dream for you?
It's safe to say. I'm loving it, and nobody can take anything away from me. I've been on top now about eight years. Nobody has knocked me off the pedestal. Some of the best fighters in the world had the opportunity, and no one could do it. Now I can pat myself on the back and say, `Yes, I am the best.' The record speaks for itself. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
TAMARA VONINSKI/Staff
Sweetpea Whitaker trains for Saturday's fight to defend his WBC
welterweight title.
Graphic
SWEETPEA'S TITLES
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
KEYWORDS: BOXING INTERVIEW by CNB