Former four-weight world champion and Olympic gold medalist Pernell Whitaker has died after being hit by a car at a busy Virginia Beach recently. He was 55.
Confirming the news, the local police said that a 55-year-old man identified as Whitaker succumbed to his injuries after being struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Northampton Boulevard and Baker Road in Virginia Beach.
The Virginia Beach Police Department is still investigating the matter while the driver of the car has spoken to the police, the Independent reported.
Soon after the news of Whitaker's demise broke out, tributes started pouring in for the former world boxing champion.
Sharing a picture of Whitaker, World Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaiman expressed grief on the sad demise of the Olympic gold medalist.
"We have just received the sad news informing us that Pernell Whitaker has passed. Sweet Pea" was one of the most brilliant boxers in the past decades and he was always a great friend of the WBC. We are deeply saddened with this new; May the legend rest in eternal peace," he tweeted.
We have just received the sad news informing us that Pernell Whitaker has passed.
"Sweet Pea" was one of the most brilliant boxers in the past decades and he was always a great friend of the WBC.
We are deeply saddened with this new; May the legend rest in eternal peace. pic.twitter.com/Zsgqa66FKF
— Mauricio Sulaiman (@wbcmoro) July 15, 2019
Meanwhile, former boxer Barry McGuigan extended his deepest sympathies to the family of Whitaker.
“What shocking news Pernell Whitaker has died after being hit by a car. RIP Champ, deepest sympathies to his family," he wrote.
What shocking news PernellWhitaker has died after being hit by a car. RIP Champ, deepest sympathies to his family.
— Barry McGuigan (@ClonesCyclone) July 15, 2019
Popularly knock as Sweet Pea, Whitaker was a four-time world boxing champion--having won titles at the lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight and light middleweight during his 20-year-long illustrious boxing career.
Whitaker, who was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006, also clinched a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Besides this, he was also named Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America in 1989.
